Never Let You Down
by HaveAHeart0301
Summary: A hunt for his niece's killer sends Geoffrey deep into the unknowns to battle who-knows-what. Back in Delbray, his sister must deal not only with her loss, but also with the building guilt she feels over it. Soren/Lucia, Geoffrey/Elincia, Ike/Micaiah.
1. Prologue

**Never Let You Down**

**Prologue**

_A/N: And here's the sequel to With Each Passing Day! I've had this chapter finished for quite some time (nearly three weeks possibly?), but I think I finally have it how I want it to be. So hopefully everyone'll enjoy it!_

_--_

_He stood there helplessly as he watched these events unfold. The axe fell, crashing the skull and sending blood spurting from the head. The Brand disappeared and with it, his daughter's life slipped away._

_He watched the dagger his wife held move towards her throat. It moved down her skin, leaving a trail of blood behind. He was too late. He was always too late to do anything. The woman fell to the ground, lifeless._

_--_

Soren shot up in his bed, dripping with sweat. Turning his head, he sighed. Lucia was still there, sleeping on her side as contently as he could have imagined. It was just a dream... It was always just a nightmare. She wasn't going anywhere...

He took a lock of her hair in his hand and twirled it around his fingers. She twitched slightly, mumbling something he couldn't quite make out, though he could nearly swear that it had been something to the effect of _Caelan_.

He sighed, dropping her hair and lying back down. It was only natural that she hadn't gotten over that. Ever since they moved back here, ever since that incident in the Grann Desert, that had been all she thought about.

To be honest, he thought about it too...maybe even more than she did. But he had to be strong for her, no matter how weak she always was. Perhaps they wouldn't get past this, but all he ever hoped for was that they would.

He shut his eyes once more, hoping to drift back into sleep, but instead he was met by another dream. This one less violent, but nonetheless painful for him...

_--_

_He knelt down on the ground before what was once their family's home. The small little cottage was now only a mound of dirt and ash. When the invasion happened, all homes had been burnt to the ground; many people went along with them._

_His family was lucky enough to make it out, but instead of some fairytale ending, they received only cruel treatment. He had been captured and thrown into a damp and dark cell. His wife and daughter were on the run, but they had been caught. They were released, but their daughter was taken from them and later found dead. Their ending was anything from happy._

_As the mage sat there, he wondered why any of this even happened. Those who saw Brandeds as monsters had ruined lives, not only for the race themselves, but for all the beorc and laguz of Tellius as well. No one was left unaffected by their acts._

_Soren scooped up some sand from the desert floor, allowing it to sift through his fingers and blow with the wind. Neither of them had wanted to go back to that place, but there they were, standing in the blazing sun and staring at what once was somewhere safe for all--a place where Brandeds, beorc, and laguz could live in peace. But now the land was a mere ruin, filled with thieves and criminals. The only memories are those of what could have been._

_The man turned around to find his wife standing there, tears streaming down her face. He sighed as he patted the ground next to him and she took a seat, leaning against his shoulder._

_"Lucia..." his whisper was barely audible._

_She sobbed, "S-Soren, I can't...I can't stay here."_

_Repositioning her so that her head now rested in his lap, the raven-haired sage frowned and began running his fingers through her hair._

_"You'll change your mind. Pretty soon everyone will begin rebuilding their houses and it won't be this lonely."_

_He had tried to sound as reassuring as possible, but he knew she wouldn't buy it._

_"Without Kiana I'll always be lonely."_

_"Sweetheart, you still have me."_

_"I-I know that, but it isn't the same. You're always too lost in your spell books to even talk to me. You always act as if I'm bugging you if I ask you to spend any time with me. Before we had Kiana, I thought that I would go insane..."_

_Quickly, he wiped away the tears that had been forming in his eyes. He couldn't let her see him like that, and yet, he never knew how unhappy she was with the life she lived. He figured that she liked having time to herself to do as she pleased, but he guessed he was wrong this whole time._

_"My studies aren't as important as you are...I can spend more time with you, if that's what you want."_

_"It's not just about that, Soren! I don't want you to be unhappy about it, I want you to actually enjoy my company!"_

_"I do enjoy your company."_

_She got up and walked a little ways away from him._

_"You sure don't act like it."_

_Her husband got up and viciously kicked the ground, sending sand everywhere. _

Why couldn't she understand that I was trying to help her? What did she want from me? What did she expect me to do? I couldn't...

_His thoughts were interrupted when she spoke, her back still facing him, azure hair and violet cape blowing in the light breeze._

_"Soren, I want to go back to Crimea."_

--

This time the scene had been real. This was something that had once happened before--the reason they were here now. He had figured that she would be better off here, near her brother and the queen, all of her old friends...taking care of her younger sisters. But he should have known that it wouldn't take her memories away. Nothing would replace Kiana in her heart...

--

_A/N: Eh, it's short, but it's the prologue. But...I'm pretty excited about this one. It _should_ be better written than the two before it, but who knows. Also, I'll be putting some more info/my plans for this one up on my profile soon, so...look at it if you're interested? And yes, Lucia kept her "My Destiny" countess look instead of her RD look. Okay, well, that's it!_


	2. Chapter One: Karenna

**Never Let You Down**

**Chapter One: Karenna**

**--**

_A/N: Before I get on with the story, I'd just like to thank __**Chef Colette**__, __**FreelancerSealBoy**__, and __**gigatronthepwn**__ for their reviews. This chapter is going to be told from the perspective of the oldest of Lucia's two younger sisters._

_--_

I sat near the lake on a rough log from a fallen tree, tracing the patterns of the bark with my index finger. I could hear my little sister screaming and frolicking through the grass nearby. Occasionally, I would look up to make sure she was staying out of trouble and wasn't threatened in any way, but, other than that, I was enjoying the solitude provided to me by the heavily wooded area.

Looking up, I noticed how clear and blue the sky was. It had often been like this, I know, as that was what I was told, but I hadn't often seen it for myself. Until my sister and Soren had returned, I hadn't had much time for anything, aside from the lessons Duke Renning would give to me on proper court etiquette, making wise decisions, et cetera.

I was only fifteen--nearly sixteen, as I would point out often in arguments--but I had more responsibilities than practically all of my friends combined. Taking care of Aslyn, attending court meetings, visiting Queen Elincia and my brother at the palace, doing as Lord Renning tells me, learning anima magic and my various other lessons from Count Bastian...these were all a part of my daily life since Lucia left.

I knew that what she had done was for the best--she had tried to protect the two of us and her child, but it all happened so quickly, I honestly didn't know what was going on half the time. I woke up one day, a mere eleven years old, to find my sister gone, along with her husband, and Duke Renning there in her place. I had known of the arrangement prior to this, but I had never known that it would come so soon. I was pulled out of the private school I attended to be taught at the castle by Bastian. I had felt so secluded, so confused. I couldn't understand at the time what was going on. It was all a blur.

But now, now my sister had taken over the responsibilities as countess of Delbray and I had so much time I didn't exactly know what to do with it. I felt like a bother being in the castle while she and Soren were working, so I would often take Aslyn and retreat far from the castle, in hopes of keeping her out of the way and reducing Lucia's stress. I knew she had been through a lot lately, and I didn't have a clue what else I could do to make her life easier.

I had soon grown to love the seclusion of the lake and spent most of my free time here. I had never before known how enjoyable it was to just listen to the birds chirping, watch the ripples roll through the lake, feel a gentle breeze, and bask in the sun. I loved the feel of the warm sun on my already tanned skin, but when it was too intense, like today, it was necessary to keep a close eye on my eight-year-old sister. She and Lucia had what was probably the palest skin I'd ever seen, and they burnt so easily. Not only did they share a skin tone, but the vibrant blue hair and eyes as well. I had always said that Aslyn was the miniature version of my older sister.

Aslyn idolized Lucia, always wanting to do everything just like "the best sister in the world." I had formerly been jealous of this fact--and how repetitive it was coming from the girl--but I understood now that it was better for her to have a role model to look up to than to feel as alone as I did. I suppose I had always felt left out due to how different I was. My three siblings all took after our father with their azure hair and eyes, pale skin, calm expressions, and love of metal weapons.

I was more like our mother, who had passed away shortly after Aslyn's birth. We both had deep green hair, dark brown eyes, and tanned skin. We were quick-tempered and loved spell books. I hadn't even been eight by the time of her death, but I found it to be the hardest thing I had been through. I had never been as close to Father, though I did love him greatly and I do miss him...there just wasn't that connection. That sense of belonging wasn't there.

I jumped up, startled and grabbing for my Fire tome, when I felt a hand placed on my shoulder. By the time I turned around, the book was already open and I had begun to chant a spell, a ball of flames appearing in my hand. When I saw who it was, though, I sighed and closed the book.

"You're in to anima, are you?" he asked me.

I fumbled for words, "Y-Yes." I hadn't a clue why I felt so awkward around him. I suppose that maybe because I didn't know him all that well...I _had_ only talked to him once, after all. I just wasn't comfortable around my brother-in-law yet.

"I see. Well, if you ever need help with a spell or anything, let me know and I'll see what I can do," he managed a weak smile. I noticed how unnatural it looked on his lips. Hadn't he ever been happy before? Why in the world would my sister marry someone like this?

"That's quite all right; Bastian's teaching me."

"Oh." The silence that followed his words made me feel even more out of place and uncomfortable. This feeling remained until he spoke up once more, "I came out here to see if you'd seen Aslyn. Apparently a sword belonging to one of the guards has come up missing again and he thinks that she might have it."

I sighed loudly, turning around to face where my sister had formerly been playing. "Aslyn, get over here _now_. And don't try hiding yourself or the sword either because you know I'll find you."

Then came a crunching of leaves and pine needles as the girl appeared from her hiding spot behind the tree, her hands behind her back. She smiled sweetly at us--that look of innocence that had melted Father's heart so many times and allowed her to get away with practically everything.

"Hi, Karenna...Master Soren...do you need something?"

"Oh no, we just called you over here to see if _you_ needed anything!" I said sarcastically.

"Nope, I'm fine! Now if you'll excuse me..." I grabbed her arm as she tried to make a break for it. Taking her by the hand, I took the sword from her and looked back at Soren.

"I think we've found our thief."

He nodded, "Yes, I believe so."

I turned back to my younger sibling and looked her in the eyes, "Now, missy, I think it's time for you to return this to Sir Andrew and apologize for the trouble you've caused."

"But..." she trailed off, giving me puppy-dog eyes. I hate when she does that...she almost always gets her way, especially with Geoffrey. No, I can't give in to her...I'm not Geoffrey...I can say no.

"What I say is final." I sighed, "Afterwards I'll take you into town and get you a practice sword, okay?"

Jumping up and down, she exclaimed, "Yes!"

What had I just done? Well, compromising isn't _that_ bad, right?

--

It wasn't until later that evening that we finally made it back to the castle. Aslyn found it necessary to ask Daniel every single question she could think to ask as he made her practice sword for her. She had decided on a shade of lavender--she loved the color just as much as Lucia--for the blade and I had made sure that it was blunt enough that she couldn't seriously injure any of our staff with it. The weapon had taken all of the money I had saved up to buy myself a new tome, but at least my sister couldn't go around stabbing people or swiping the guard's sword anymore.

Upon arriving, one of our servants by the name of Charlotte informed us that we had missed dinner and that our chef, Tony, had left something in the dining room for us to eat. Lucia and Soren were upstairs finishing up the day's work. After I had finished eating, I had left Asyln in Charlotte's care and headed to my room in hopes of actually getting some sleep tonight.

As I passed my sister and Soren's room, I noticed the door was open and the light was still on, so I figured I'd let them know that we're back. Looking in, I found Soren sitting at his desk, scribbling away in some book or another, his eyes darting back and forth across the pages. Lucia was sitting in the open window, her hair and the curtains blowing in the wind.

I was about to speak when the sage muttered something, causing his wife to give him a confused glance. I decided that it would be best for me not to interrupt them or listen to their private conversation, so I turned to leave but was pulled back again when Soren said something that caught my attention. Crouching beside the door, I held my breath as I listened to the two.

"I received a request from a young woman today," the raven-haired man started. "She wants to know if I'll take her in as a student of anima magic. She'd have to live in the castle for me to be able to train her."

"So what are you going to do?" my sister inquired.

"I wanted to discuss that with you--I don't want to teach her if that's not what you want."

She stood up from her place on the window ledge and shut the glass back up. Turning around to look at him, she shrugged, "Soren, I don't really care what you do." She left the room before he could say anything else, seeming not to notice me as she passed.

He rolled his eyes, "And they say I'm the anti-social one." He got up and walked off in the opposite direction, I assumed to go get some parchment to write back to that woman. I wondered if he really would bring in a student...I didn't really see a problem with it, but it seemed like maybe Lucia did.

Either way, I had never known that things were this bad between the two...they always seemed to get along whenever Aslyn or I was around. But maybe I just didn't pay enough attention. Regardless, I knew that I had to find a way to help them.

--

_A/N: So, now I've incorporated Charlotte and Tony into the story. I do have plans to add in characters based off of most of the DWtS cast. In fact, Soren's student is one of them...and anyone that can figure out who it is before the next chapter gets an...imaginary cookie? Sure, that'll work..._


	3. Chapter Two: Lucia

**Never Let You Down**

**Chapter Two: Lucia**

--

The woman sat in the open window, her legs pressed tightly against her chest, back rested against the warm bricks, and hair blowing in the light breeze. This spot was where she was found most often. If anyone had some need of her--which wasn't frequently, as they all soon realized that they would rather speak with the bitter Soren rather than his unresponsive wife--they would always come searching here.

She glanced around the room. Her eyes were met with near bareness. Both she and her husband had found it unnecessary to have their room extravagantly furnished, and had only wished for a bed and a desk and chair--for Soren. The desk was simple, wooden, inexpensive. It had been her father's and his father's before that. The count had given it to Geoffrey, but he had little need of it being a knight, and gladly gave it to Soren when he asked for it.

The stand was set up against the wall opposite the window, and the bed was on the wall adjacent to that. The bricks had been painted a bright shade of yellow--on demand of Karenna and Aslyn. They made the swordswoman think of happiness...former happiness, as there was none left in her current life. She knew that the girls were only trying to cheer her up--they always were--but she couldn't stand that. She didn't deserve to be happy.

_It's all my fault..._ The thought brought tears to her eyes, which she quickly wiped away. She wasn't supposed to cry...she couldn't show such weakness. All her life she had been guarded; she had forbidden herself to cry or show such radical emotions, but now...she couldn't help it. Something was making her feel this awful...this worthless.

As she wiped another tear away, she turned her head to face the outside world. The sun shone down brightly on the county's rolling green hills. She could see small birds flying through the treetops, chirping happily. Children were laughing as they ran around and played some sort of game. Everything looked so calm, so pleasant.

"Delbray must be the prettiest place in all of Tellius." That was the thought that she and Elincia had shared growing up. She had believed that until she had traveled during the war. She couldn't even call Delbray the most gorgeous place in Crimea--not with Melior around. If she had believed for those place to be beautiful, then they were nothing compared to the Grann Desert. The mounds and mounds of sand created a place so unique from anything she had ever seen. The Grann was where her heart was--where her life was. It was where Kiana had been raised and where Caelan had come into their lives. Up until that one night, things had been perfect for them.

They had all been so close, but that one incident had shattered their entire world. It was funny, if you thought about it, how things could be going so well and then something like that happens. Things had definitely gone downhill after that--the invasion, Soren's capture, Kiana's death. It wasn't right, it wasn't fair, but she knew that there had to be some reason for it. But what would a logical answer for so many deaths be? How was she supposed to handle this?

Though she couldn't answer those questions yet, she wouldn't give up on them. She would just have to continue life like this until something...happened. She had failed in this life, as a daughter, then as a wife and mother, but possibly in her next things would be...easier. No, that was a petty thought. If things are easy, if all you ever want is simply handed to you, no questions asked, no work involved, then you'll never know what it's like to be independent. You'll never understand hard work.

She had found that out through her life as a noble's daughter, and she knew that her upbringing was to blame for all of her insecurities, for her inability to face hardship and come out on top. It was because of this that she didn't have a clue what to do now. She didn't know how to face her next challenge; the only thing she knew to do was to cry and hope for this to be some terrible dream that would soon end.

--

When the raven-haired Arch Sage walked into his bedroom, he found his wife in her new favorite spot. That wasn't anything unusual. The fact that she had her head buried in her knees was another thing. He could never understand why she had turned from this strong, independent woman to the confused girl she was now. She had been through a lot lately--they all had--but she had always tried to look on the bright side of things. Now nothing could make her smile.

Sighing, he sat his spell books down on the desk and walked over to where she was seated. He had come in here to tell her of their new arrival, but he supposed that could wait. Placing his hand on her back, he tried to sound as affectionate as he could, but his words sounded more mocking than anything: "Lucia, if you're not careful you'll likely fall out of the window."

"I don't care," she snapped back bitterly.

"Come on, Lucy, why would you say that?"

"It's the truth," she paused as her husband helped her down from the window and sat on the edge of the bed with her, "I'm an awful person."

Shaking his head, he laughed, "You are not. You've never been awful. To tell the truth, I don't think you have it in you to be awful."

"But--" He cut her off.

"You're anything but awful. You've changed me so much... Before I met you, I was cruel and heartless. I didn't care who I hurt or who I made cry. But now that we're married, I think I can see other people's perspectives more.

"I may not be the sweetest man, and by all means there's still room for improvement, but you make me feel like I can become something more than this. ...You give me a reason to live, and for that you're the most caring and most wonderful person in the world. ...And for teaching me that killing spiders is cruel, you're in a class all your own."

They both laughed as the countess smacked his arm, and uttered a simple "I hate you."

Rolling his eyes, Soren remained laughing at her, "But I love you." He pulled her closer to him before continuing in a voice barely above a whisper, "Don't worry about everything that's happened, we'll get through this. Everything will be okay."

"Thank you, Soren," she said, kissing him. Did she believe there was truth in his words? Not at all. Did she want to? Absolutely. She knew that his intentions were good, but as much as she wanted to believe that things would work out, that this was all for the best, she just couldn't.

"And no matter what happens, I'll always love you."

She knew that was the truth, and even so, it didn't make her feel any better. She knew that she would continue to be miserable, to live a life not worth living, but she knew that the least she could do was to pretend that she was fine. For her sake, for Soren's sake, for the sake of her sisters, the rest of their family, and all their friends, she would have to remain strong. Even when life isn't going her way, she'll have to find something positive to keep from going insane.

Her family may have been destroyed, her life ruined, but if she could fake happiness and lie to everyone, maybe everything would be okay.

--

_A/N: So Soren does have a sweeter side! Maybe it's just in my imagination, but I don't care! And I know this was short, but it's basically a filler between the time Soren writes to the student and the time she arrives. Anyway, the next chapter will introduce the student, along with Karenna and Aslyn's two babysitters (two of the men from DWtS). So if anyone has a guess as to who any of the three are, let me know. Other than that, I'll just say that Geoffrey and Elincia should make a short appearance in the next chapter._


	4. Chapter Three: Lacey, Part I

**Never Let You Down**

**Chapter Three: Lacey, Part I**

--

I glanced in the mirror at myself, taking in my pale complexion. I was in dire need of a tan, but with all of my studying, I just didn't have the time. I stared at my jet black hair, pale blue-grey eyes, deep crimson dress, and violet cape--I wasn't anything special, I didn't have a clue why Master Soren would choose me as his student.

Speaking of Soren, he wasn't a thing like I'd expected him to be. All of the other soldiers that had fought in the last war had all seemed friendly and likeable. Soren was...different. It wasn't that he was necessarily unpleasant, he just wasn't like everyone else. I don't really mind that though--after all, I can't say I'm quite "normal" either. There's just something about him that makes me a little uneasy. I feel as though he's holding back so much...so much pain and hatred that just keeps building.

I don't really know much about his wife. I've never actually met her, but I did know her father. The late Count Delbray was something else all right. I don't think Crimea's ever seen a better noble than he. He was simply amazing. Lucia had always been a great girl growing up, from what I'd seen and heard of her. Everyone believed that she'd be just like her father. That fact, which I'm sure she's heard about, must have been hard for her to grasp. Her every step was watched by someone, and they all expected so much from her...it's no wonder that she's gone practically crazy now.

I'd heard before coming here that she doesn't ever come out of her room, and now I believe it; I haven't seen her since I arrived. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that she wasn't even here to begin with. Some say that she's not even alive--that she's merely a ghost that haunts her husband for some sin of his past. Me? I don't believe a word of it.

Still, it doesn't make a bit of sense to me why she would come all the way back here to Delbray to become the countess--once again--and then not even come out. I've heard that she hates the job, which is also confusing. It's obvious that she isn't after the money or power, and not the happiness either, so I just don't understand her.

I guess this could all just be my imagination though--I'm so busy studying that maybe I don't notice when she's around. Yes, that could definitely be it. Or she could simply be too sick to come out of her room. It's so crazy how all of the commoners are obsessing over someone that they barely--if at all--know. They're so concerned with the family's business that it's just irritating.

I'll admit, I'm fascinated with Lucia too. For a noble--a person that's supposed to be only concerned with themselves and their wealth--she seems quite humble. I've never once heard of her looking down on someone or being unwilling to help strangers. Her choice of a husband is another thing. Every other noble I've known of has married another noble--most of them marrying someone they can't stand. But our countess married a Branded commoner! It was unheard of...

So maybe she isn't as unfit for the position as everyone thought. It was going through town that a lot of the other nobles would soon be pushing for her resignation. They apparently thought that Duke Renning was a better candidate to watch over Delbray. The commoners were all against it--we didn't have a problem with someone that wasn't raising our taxes or treating us unfairly. It would only be a matter of time before we heard the woman's decision though.

Which reminds me, I _do_ have something I'm supposed to be doing. Brushing the hair out of my face, I pick up my Elwind tome and dash out of the room, locking the door behind me.

--

As I made my way through the various hallways, I could tell that all eyes were on me. They all knew that I would be late soon and get scolded by Soren, but don't they know that I'm always late? Doesn't _he_ know that I'm always late?

I run past Karenna and Aslyn--both girls look bored to death. I can't really blame them though, living a noble's life is so dull--at least that's how it seems, considering I wouldn't personally know. Then there's Chelsie, the maid. I've never met someone as crazy as the blonde Chelsie, and she gives me a thumbs up as I pass.

Considering I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going, it was no surprise when I smacked into something and fell to the ground. Looking up I see Jonathan glaring down at me. The man offers his hand to me and pulls me up off the floor.

"Don't run in the hallway, Miss," he states simply as he walks away. I just roll my eyes at him. The butler's a total gentleman, but he's way too serious. I like the guy and all, but he doesn't have one of those strong personalities like basically everyone else around this place.

It isn't long before I pass his wife's room. She's the seamstress here, and I don't really know why she'd marry the butler. I can hear her humming softly as I approach, and I decide that I'm already late, so there's no point in rushing myself.

"Hey, Anna," I practically chirped as I walked into her tiny office. She was sitting in a chair in the center, adding some stitches to fabric. She was bent over her work and didn't seem very aware of her surroundings.

She looked up at me after a moment and smiled, her flaming red hair framing her face. "Oh, hello, Lacey. I was just putting the finishing touches to this dress, care to tell me what you think of it?"

She stood up and held the dress before my eyes. The dress was spaghetti-strapped and floor-length, and colored the most brilliant shade of green I had ever seen--I'd say the closest thing I knew to it is emerald green, and even that isn't very close. The evening gown had a V-shaped neckline and Empire waist, and would look absolutely stunning on whoever was meant to sport it.

"Wow, it's...amazing," I said, awestruck.

"Thank you, I'm glad you think so. Lady Lucia will be wearing it when she and Soren go out to dinner with the queen and king tomorrow night."

"She'll look absolutely stunning in it, that's for sure." I paused for a moment, looking down at the book in my hands, before continuing, "That actually reminds me, I'm supposed to meet Soren so he can give me my assignment for the day..."

"Oh, of course. I hadn't meant to keep you so long, I--"

"No, no, it's fine. I was late anyway, so I stopped by to see what you were working on. It wasn't your fault at all. I'll come by again later, okay?"

"Yes, you're welcome here anytime...and if Jonathan's here, don't pay him any mind. He's not really as bad as some people think."

I laughed, "Okay, I'll do that."

--

When I arrived in the kitchen, our designated meeting place for the day, I wasn't met by Soren, but instead by some of the staff members. Charlotte was talking with the chef, and from what I could hear, she was placing an order for the noble sisters' lunch. I sat down at a table off to the side before the girls' personal servant went back through the swinging doors.

Noting that Soren wasn't here yet--a surprising fact, considering the count was never late to anything--I opened up my book, figuring that I could get some more studying in before he showed up. As I read through the pages of the tome, attempting a quick memorization of the Elwind spell, I was completely oblivious to my surroundings. It wasn't until I looked up from the book that I realized someone was watching me.

Brown eyes met my blue ones, as Ashly stared at me while she bent over the opposite side of the table, elbows resting on the wood and head in her hands. Tony stood off to the side, cooking something that I couldn't quite identify. I assumed it was for Lucia's sisters, so it was safe to assume that it was meatless.

The brunette across from me tapped her fingers against the table she leaned on impatiently, while Tony just rolled his eyes. "Ashly, Master Soren wouldn't like to hear that you're disturbing his students, now would he?"

"Well, no, but..." she trailed off for some reason.

"Ashly, please get back to work. It looks like Tony is having some trouble with the girls' meal, and you know how Aslyn can be when things don't quite go her way," we all turned to see Soren walking into the kitchen, cape flowing at his heels.

"O-Of course, Milord. You're right...Aslyn can get pretty violent with that sword of hers..." the woman nervously laughed as she backed up into the kitchen, bumping into Tony and nearly tripping over her own feet in the process.

I turned to Soren, "Now, aren't you a little late?"

"No, no I'm not. I heard about how you're always late, so I decided to tell you to meet an hour before schedule. Clever, no?" He flashed a smile as he threw a book next to my arm. It landed with a loud _thud_ as it slammed against the wooden table top. "This is your next assignment. You'll have all day today and tomorrow to complete it. I expect you to be finished with it tomorrow night after Lucia and I get back from--"

I interrupted him, "Dinner with Queen Elincia and King Geoffrey, I know."

Giving me a puzzled look, he finished, "Correct. And how might you know about this?"

"Anna told me... I went to visit her before coming here and she showed me Lucia's dress."

"I see. Anna's such a sweet girl, I'm glad that Lucia hired her. ...She's a bit shy though; it'd do her well to open up a bit more. But you two have become quite good friends, haven't you?"

"I suppose you could say that. Now, if you'll excuse me, there's this mean man forcing me to complete some outrageous amount of work in such a little amount of time." I stood up and prepared to leave, but Soren grabbed my arm and stopped me.

"You haven't even looked at it yet, have you?" I shook my head no and glanced down at where the tome sat, looking over the golden lettering on its cover. _Blizzard_. Nice. So it wouldn't be that hard...

"Oh." He laughed at me and placed the book in my arms before pushing me towards the exit.

Before I could make it out the door, however, he called back to me, "By the way, Lacey, how did Lucia's dress look?"

"Perfect."

He nodded and smiled at me again before I walked fully out the door and let it swing closed behind me.

Yes, out of everyone here, I'd say that Anna is the one I'd become the closest to, but Soren was becoming a close second with that gorgeous smile of his.

--

_A/N: Okay, so I didn't get around to introducing the babysitters in this chapter. That'll be in it next time when Lucia and Soren go out to dinner. And don't ask about the dress...I've worn one maybe once in my life, so I didn't know how to describe it! That part actually took me longer to write than the rest of the chapter because I didn't know what I was talking about..._

_And now I've covered the introductions for the majority of OCs that will be in this story. The only very major ones (aside from Lacey) that were in this chapter are be Anna and Jonathan, because I like them so much. Jonathan's nicer than I portrayed him, I think, but oh well. But there are five more dancers that should be making appearances soon (including my favorite)._


	5. Chapter Four: Lacey, Part II

**Never Let You Down**

**Chapter Four: Lacey, Part II**

**--**

_As I crouched down outside of the Delbrays' bedchambers, I couldn't believe the words that I heard come out of Lucia's mouth: "Soren, I don't want her here and you know it." How selfish could she be? Did she actually think she could tell him what to do?_

_"Lucia, I understand that you're upset, but Lacey's my student and--" he stopped what he was saying when he noticed the look the woman was giving him. She looked so angry and so distraught. I could see the tears forming in her eyes, so I was sure that he could too._

_"Please...I can't...I don't want that event to be repeated. I couldn't handle it..."_

_Placing his hands on her shoulders, he shook his head. "That will never happen again, trust me. Lacey is different, I know she is. She would never do anything like that. And if she tried, the guards would surely take care of her. Let's just give her time, okay?"_

_"Whatever you say...I guess there isn't anything else for me to lose anyway. My whole world's already been shattered. She'd just better stay away from Aslyn and Karenna." She brushed past Soren and exited the room, giving me a dirty look when she saw I was listening in on their conversation. That was the only acknowledgment of my existence that she gave; she didn't speak to me or anything._

_--_

I didn't understand how she could be so evil last night. Soren didn't deserve to be treated in such a way. He hadn't done a thing to her, and yet she acted that way towards him. I couldn't find one good reason for him to put up with it either. If you ask me, she's not worth his time.

Whatever the incident she referred to was, unless it caused her great distress, she had no reason to distrust me so much. What does she expect me to do to her sisters, brainwash them? She's such a foolish woman! All of the nobles always wondered why she'd stoop so low as to marry a Branded, but I can't believe Soren lowered himself so much to marry _her_!

Still, it's possible that she was just so upset that... No, nothing could make her that upset. Then again, I didn't know a thing about her or what she's been through, but there are plenty of people that do...

--

When I found Chelsie, she was dusting off the vases in the parlor. She looked excited to see me as she threw her rags on a nearby table and looked eager to talk--that figures, she probably hasn't had anyone to talk to in hours.

"Lacey! I thought you'd disappeared off the face of Tellius since you haven't been to see me yet today!"

I couldn't help but laugh at her. "I'm sorry...there's just been a lot on my mind."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Well, I... What do you think of Lady Lucia?" I bit my tongue after saying this. I really hoped that Chelsie wasn't the type that liked to gossip, or else this would probably get back to Soren or Lucia.

"The countess...she's a nice woman, from what I know. I just started this job, so there isn't much that I know about her, but she's just always so sad... I feel sorry for her whenever I go up to check on her room and she's just sitting there staring off into space. I don't know what's happened, but Charlotte says that she never used to be like this..."

"Charlotte knows her well then?"

"Of course. Most of the other staff members have worked here since Lucia's father was count. Charlotte's one of them; Anna and Jonathan are the others, and Tony's been here a while too."

After getting what I could out of Chelsie, I headed off to find Charlotte. I felt bad about using everyone to get information, but I 'm only doing it to find out why Lucia doesn't like me, I swear! Well, at least that's what I'm telling myself...

--

Where in the world was I supposed to find Charlotte? She didn't have a specific room where she'd be at this point... I'd only been able to find Chelsie so quickly because I knew her schedule well, but I didn't know a thing about Charlotte, so there was no chance of knowing where she'd be.

Considering that she's Karenna and Aslyn's personal servant and pretty much caretaker, it was likely that she was running some sort of errand for them. Though now that I think about it, it was probably around their lunch time, so the kitchen would be a nice place to start.

--

Sure enough, when I walked in both girls were sitting at the table eating something that Tony or Ashly had just prepared. Charlotte was standing off to the side, watching as they were apparently trying to see how fast they could eat their lunches. Soon they were both finished and they stood up and pushed in their chairs; Karenna collected the dishes and took them to Ashly.

"Bye, Charlotte, we'll see you later! Oh, and Tony, Lacey, and Ashly too!" Aslyn exclaimed before they bolted out the door.

I turned to their caretaker, "That was fast."

"Their sister told them that when they were finished with lunch they could go up to her room before she left tonight," she answered plainly. It didn't seem like I would be getting much out of her.

"That's surprising," I uttered, pulling out a chair and sitting down.

"Whatever could you mean?"

I shrugged. "It doesn't seem like the Lady Lucia spends any time with her sisters."

"Lucia's a busy woman. She tries to do as much with them as time allows."

"Oh, I hadn't known that... By the way, how long have you known Lucia?"

"I've known her since she was a teenager, though I don't see how that's any of your concern."

"Oh, I was just, ah, trying to learn more about her, that's all." I shifted uneasily in my chair, "You know, since I'm living here and all."

The blonde woman walked past me and opened the swinging door, holding it in her hand while turning back to face me. "Whatever the real reason you want to know all this for is, I don't think it's a good idea at all. It would probably be best if you didn't continue this little 'investigation' of yours, unless you'd prefer Soren to drop you as a student when he finds out."

I glared at her as she turned around and left, then I continued glaring at the door. Why would Soren get rid of me for being curious about his wife? It didn't make any sense. The people in this castle sure are strange... With the exceptions of Soren and Anna...and maybe Karenna.

Speaking of strange people, I turn my head back around to see Ashly once again leaning on the table. "Don't worry 'bout Charlotte, 'k? She's really professional and all that."

I nod my head. "Right. So what do you think of Lucia then?"

"Don't know. I've never met her." Ashly shrugged. "You know, since I only work in the kitchen and all, I've never seen her around or anything. I've heard that she's nice, but I don't have a personal opinion of her."

"Oh, that's...odd. You haven't worked here long, have you?"

"Nope. Tony here's been working here for years though," she gestured to the head chef as she said this.

I turned to the mocha-haired worker, "Years, eh?"

"Well, yes. Lady Lucia, she's a real sweet girl, and she and Lord Soren hired me a few weeks before they left for the desert," he answered, a bit shyly.

"Desert? I haven't heard anything about them living in a desert."

"They lived in the Grann Desert, I believe. I've heard there used to be a colony of Brandeds somewhere out there. I'm not sure what happened to it, but I heard that they had to rebuild it after some freak accident or something. That's about the time our lord and lady came back here," Ashly rambled on.

"I had no idea... Why would they leave here to live in some desert in the middle of nowhere? And on top of that, why would they come _back_?"

"Don't know. I know her brother was real mad when she left though. I don't think he ever really liked Lord Soren, don't know why though. But Lucia's always so sad, according to the girls and Charlotte. I don't know what she's been through, but that girl used to have the most darling smile when she was little, so says the blonde. Just wish she'd smile a bit more now...not that I would see it, but I don't like anyone feeling miserable." I listened, along with Tony, to the brunette go on and on for awhile before excusing myself. Someone had to know something about the desert or why they left...

--

It wasn't long before I found myself sitting with Anna and Jonathan, drinking tea in the sewing room. The redhead and I both sat in wooden rocking chairs around a tiny little table while her husband stood by the door. He was actually smiling for a change, so I figured it'd be best not to annoy him any. "So, what brings you here, Lacey?" he asked me.

"I didn't have anything to do, so I figured I'd pay a visit to see how the two of you were doing," I answered as politely as possible.

"Well, you picked the best time to do so. Lucia just picked up her dress, so I don't have anything to do either," Anna smiled as she took a sip of her tea.

Before I could respond, Aslyn appeared in the doorway, sword strapped to her hip. "Jonathan, sir, Miss Charlotte would like to speak with you in private. She says that if you don't hurry up, I have permission to practice my swordplay by stabbing you."

"Okay, okay! There's no need for that." Turning to Anna, "I'll be right back, darling." Then back to the eight-year-old, "Please lead the way, miss."

The girl sighed, "Now I'll never get to practice my swordplay! But come on." She grabbed his hand and lead him out of the room. What a pleasant little noble girl she is...

"But you say that Lucia was in here earlier? She actually picked her dress up herself?"

"Yes, she said she loved it." The woman beamed from the compliment her employer had given her.

"Well, how could she not? It was simply stunning."

The seamstress chuckled, "Thank you, it's probably the best dress I've designed for her. I'm sure she'll look magnificent in it. Then again, she looks fabulous in anything, I'm sure."

"That is a possibility." I stopped to think for a minute, taking a drink of my beverage. "Say, do you know anything about Lucia not liking me?"

Anna gave me a puzzled look. "No, I can't say I do. Does she not like you?"

"That's the impression I have. I overheard her telling Soren that she wanted me gone. I don't understand it though."

"Maybe she doesn't like how you're trying to find out her business." We both turned to see Jonathan leaning in the doorway, glaring at me with his arms crossed. "I've heard about how you're trying to find out about her past from all the workers, and I'll tell you that I don't approve of it, and I don't want you around my wife anymore."

The woman jumped up from her seat. "Jonathan! How can you say that?"

"Anna, it's fine. I'll just be leaving..." I could see her downcast look as I turned to leave. As I walked out the door, I considered just leaving, but decided to see if Jonathan would say anything further...like what he knows about Lucia...

"Sweetheart, I'm sorry," he started, scratching her fuzzy pink ears. "I didn't want you to lose your job because Lacey got information out of you that you shouldn't have told. Lucia's hurt right now and I don't want her to suffer any more. What that girl is doing could only hurt her. You know that she doesn't want her past revealed."

"You...you're right. I'm sorry, I didn't think about it. I don't want Miss Lucia to suffer either." Her gloomy look made me regret ever dragging her into this. I knew that it was hard for her, being a cat laguz, to live here and make friends with the rest of the staff members, and now she wasn't even allowed to talk to me.

Regardless, I would need to continue this hunt on my own. Whatever I learned, whatever I discovered, I wouldn't use it against Lucia. I only meant to help her, to better understand her and why she acted in such a way. But I had learned something from this experience: Don't trust Charlotte with anything.

--

Later that evening I was curled up on a comfortable sofa in the parlor with my spell book lying on my lap. I had yet to even look over the Blizzard tome once, and Soren expected it to be memorized by that night. _The spirits within my reach shall now consume my enemy with a treacherously fierce blizzard of snow and wind, thereby slowly draining their life away,_ I read inwardly in the ancient tongue as I reached the last page in the book.

Flipping back to the opening page, I continued to study my assignment until there was a loud knock on the door. I ignored it, figuring Charlotte would get it, as she was in the next room. However, when the knocking continued, Jonathan walked in and glared at me before turning the knob and pulling it open.

"Good evening, gentlemen," the butler said as two men entered the room. One of them, a tall, dark-haired man, glanced at me for a moment, causing Jonathan to continue, "That's Soren's new student." He sighed, "Lacey these are Karenna and Aslyn's babysitters for the night, Maks and Dmitry."

"It's nice to meet both of you," I managed. Dmitry uttered a _likewise_, but Maks only nodded. He didn't seem too fond of me already...but that's just another person to add to the club of people that apparently can't stand me.

Before long the count and countess had arrived downstairs with the two girls in tow. "Maks, Dmitry thanks so much for coming on such short of a notice," Lucia stated as Jonathan walked away. This was the first time I'd ever been able to fully look the swordswoman over, catching only glances of her before. She was, as expected, wearing the evening gown Anna had created for her. She also had her hair pulled up in a loose fashion, allowing ringlets of azure hair to frame her face.

I had a feeling that I knew who chose her makeup, as her lipstick's bright scarlet shade was a favorite of a certain laguz seamstress in the castle. It was at that moment that I realized just how right everyone was about her appearance. She was quite attractive, but her unhappiness was shown on those vermillion lips. Whatever she had been through had scarred her for life.

"It isn't a problem, Milady; Dmitry and I don't mind watching the girls at all," he paused for a moment. "Did Anna make your dress? You look lovely."

She smiled slightly at the man's statement. "Yes, she did, and thank you."

"Now, if only we could get you to smile more often," Dmitry added.

The three continued to chat as Soren made his way over to where I was seated. He still wore his robes and his capes--I expected little else from him--but something about the way he looked seemed more refined and elegant. "How is you assignment coming along?" he inquired, snapping me out of my daze.

"It's...getting there. It's a bit tougher than I expected though," I responded truthfully.

He nodded, "I figured it would be. There might be some books in the library that can help with the translation of it, if that's what you're having trouble with."

"It is a bit tricky..."

"Don't worry about it, you'll catch on to it eventually." Turning back to his wife, he sighed, "Are you ready, darling? We wouldn't want to keep your brother and Elincia waiting."

"Yes, dear. Dmitry, Maks, if you need anything, Charlotte is around the house somewhere. Anna and Jonathan have gone out for the night and probably won't be back until late, and Tony, Ashly, and Chelsie have already gone home."

"I'm sure everything will be fine, but we'll be sure to get Charlotte if anything gets out of hand," Dmitry chuckled.

"Of course. If it's anything serious, we're only going to be at the palace." She then turned to her two younger sisters. "Now you two had better be good while we're gone."

"Yes, Sister," they both replied in unison.

"And, Lacey, I expect you to be finished with that spell by the time we get back!" Soren exclaimed.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, Master Soren."

The four all waved sweetly and innocently as the count and his wife left, but after they'd made sure they were gone, things immediately got out of control. Aslyn pulled her sword out from behind the door and charged at Dmitry, who had grabbed another wooden sword while she was retrieving hers.

The girls' other caretaker sighed. "Will you two please take that outside before you break something?"

"Yeah, sure." Maks gave a sigh of relief as they both bounded out the back door, screaming and hollering loud enough for probably all of Crimea to hear them.

After her sister and Dmitry had left, Karenna folded her arms and turned to the man standing by the doorway. "Well, it looks like it's just you and me now," she laughed manically.

"Great, you're going to do something evil to me, aren't you?" He groaned, leaning against the wall.

"Now, why ever would I do that, Maksim?"

He glared at her. "Don't call me that."

"And if I do?" She smirked wickedly.

"Don't you have some schoolwork to do or something? If you need help with it, let me know."

She now returned his glare. "Whatever." She walked off, stomping up the steps to her room.

Maks turned to me. "So you're Soren's student, are you?"

"Yes...for now at least. Until he finally gives in to Lucia's pleas to get rid of me."

"Lucia just needs time to adjust to the idea. She's been through a lot in her life and..."

"What's been so bad about her life? She's been a noble for goodness sake! I bet she's never even been through a _real_ challenge her whole life."

"Don't you _ever_ say that! Lucia's probably been through more hardships in one day than you have in your entire life."

Standing up, I laughed. "Sure she has." Before he could comment further, I walked out of the room, making my way towards the library.

--

I found an old wooden chair and desk towards the back of the huge room I had just walked into. Throwing my Blizzard tome on the desk, I walked over to search the rows of shelves for an ancient to modern tongue translation book. Finding the one I wanted, I pulled it from its spot, causing another, smaller, book to fall to the floor. Sighing, I bent down to pick it up and glanced at its chartreuse cover. A symbol was stamped on the front; it looked to be some type of beast surrounded by a crescent moon.

I knew that I shouldn't, but I opened it up to reveal words inked onto the pages in black. It seemed to be some sort of diary and was written in ancient tongue. Taking it and the translation book back to the corner of the room where my Blizzard tome was waiting, I reopened the diary and my own journal and began translating the pages.

--

_A/N: Hm, I wonder whose diary Lacey got a hold of. I think I made it a bit obvious, but maybe not. But Maks and Dmitry as babysitters...what was I thinking? Actually, that wasn't my idea. And, yes, Anna is now a cat laguz._

_I may not be updating very often for awhile, since Aveyond: Lord of Twilight came out recently, and I'm looking forward to beating that game. But when I do update again, we'll be seeing chapters from the point-of-views of Jonathan, Geoffrey, maybe Maks or Lucia, and then another from Lacey. After that, the chapters will probably switch back and forth from Lacey's view to Geoffrey's view, and maybe occasionally Soren's._


	6. Chapter Five: Jonathan

**Never Let You Down**

**Chapter Five: Jonathan**

**--**

_A/N: Okay, since I finished Aveyond 3 a few days ago, I suppose I should update this again..._

_--_

I awoke the next morning to find the sun streaming in on my face. I glanced at my wife next to me, who was still sleeping peacefully. Sighing, I got up and stretched my arms and then made my way over to the window. I pulled the curtains closed, so the sun's rays wouldn't wake Anna.

Last night I had taken my wife out dancing, both as a celebration for her completion of Lucia's lovely dress and to just get her mind off of all that was taking place here at the castle. I hadn't seen her so happy as she was when I twirled her around; Anna loved to dance. The way her emerald eyes lit up when we performed the waltz, the way her hair flowed in the freedom of the foxtrot--it was all magical.

I noticed how her pink ears perked up when a blue-eyed man took to the piano. She listened intently as he played a piece titled "Love of My Life" while another man sang. In my opinion, the words fit Anna perfectly, and I had never been so in love with her in my life as I was at that moment.

I hadn't wanted the night to ever be over, but, unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. When we arrived back at the castle, Lucia and Soren were already there and Maks and Dmitry were gone. I had forgotten our room key--again, as Anna felt the need to point out--so we spent some time tracking down Charlotte, who had all the extra keys. Luckily, she hadn't retired for the night--which actually wasn't surprising, since it seems that she never sleeps, so she most graciously gave me the spare key--after a lecture on how I shouldn't be so forgetful and whatever else she included.

As it was now about time for my shift as the noble family's butler, I quickly changed into my uniform and quietly left the room, closing the door carefully behind me. Out in the hallway, Charlotte was talking with the girls' tutor, Kym. Both of the blondes waved when they saw me coming, but then dove back into their conversation, so I decided not to bother them and instead walked in the direction of the kitchen.

--

When I made it to the dining room, I found Aslyn lying in the middle of the floor, face-down...for no apparent reason. When she noticed that I was only a few feet away from her, the eight-year-old swordswoman-in-training held her practice blade above her head and ordered, "Anyone that tries to pass will face the wrath of my sword."

I frowned and sat down beside her before questioning, "Miss Aslyn, why do you look so sad?"

"There's nothin' to do. Karenna's in her room studying, and I don't have anyone to practice my swordplay with," she replied, looking up at me with sad eyes.

There wasn't _any_ way I was going to let her smack me around with that thing, so I decided on another suggestion. "Well, shouldn't you be studying too?"

"No, Kymmie gave me the day off from school," she lied, turning her head the other way, a clear indication of the fib.

"Now, why would she do that?" I couldn't help but to smile.

She sighed, "That doesn't matter. I have a better idea anyway. Why don't you and Miss Anna have a baby so I can have someone to play with? It's obvious that Lucia's never going to have kids..."

I bit my tongue to keep from saying anything. I knew that Lucia didn't want Aslyn or Karenna to know what happened in the desert. I had promised to keep the secret for her and Soren, though I knew that they would find out eventually. My wife said that she figured that Lucia just didn't want to tell the girls until they were older and could understand it more. I doubted that they would ever truly understand their sister's pain...her burden was more than one could bear, and still she kept fighting on.

I felt sorry for Aslyn, having no one to entertain her, but Anna and I wouldn't be having children any time soon. My wife had wanted a baby before the events of the Branded massacre, but now I think we're both too afraid. It was highly likely that our child would be Branded, as she was a laguz and I was a beorc, so it just wasn't a possibility.

"Sir Jonathan? Are you okay?" I snapped out of my daze to find the little girl staring at me expectantly.

"Y-Yes, I'm fine."

"Good. Say, would you play with me?"

I gave a sigh of relief, glad that she changed the subject. "I will, as long as it doesn't involve swords at all."

"B-But...that's no fun!" she whined, giving me puppy-dog eyes and crawling into my lap. She looked up at me with her pleading eyes and continued, "You're really really mean, sir!"

I laughed and ruffled her hair as she continued to pout. "It's still a no, sweetheart."

"Fine, I'll just ask Miss Anna to instead! She turns into a pink kitty anyway, so she's cooler!" She started to get up, but I pulled her back.

"Don't bother Miss Anna, she's still sleeping, " I warned her.

"Aslyn, are you bugging Sir Jonathan?" We both turned to see Lucia standing a few feet away from where we sat. The blue-haired little girl instantly ran over to her oldest sister, who picked her up in her arms.

"He won't practice with me, Lucia!" she complained.

Her sister turned to me, a disapproving look on her features. "Now, I can't understand at all why a grown man wouldn't let you hit him and boss him around!" she said sarcastically.

"I know, I'm such a bad person," I joked.

"You're both being mean now!" the girl cried.

Lucia patted her younger sister's hair. "I'm sorry. Would you like for me to practice with you instead?"

"Oh, would you please, Lucia? I'd like that very much!" she exclaimed.

The woman sat her sister back down on the ground. "I'll meet you out there, okay?"

"Uh-huh!" The young girl quickly grabbed her blade and headed out for the training grounds, leaving just me and Lucia.

"Thank you, Milady."

She laughed, "I'm sorry about that."

"It isn't a problem, Miss Delbray. Now, would you happen to know where your husband is?"

She thought for a moment before answering, "I think he's in our room reading something. Why?"

Giving her an evil look, I replied while walking towards the stairs, "It's not any of your concern, Milady." I looked back over my shoulder to see her standing with her arms folded, playfully glaring at me. I only laughed and turned back around.

--

The door was already open a crack, so I knocked on it lightly and let myself in. Soren looked up from whatever he was reading as I entered. "Oh, Jonathan, do you need something?"

"I just came to talk to you about your new student," I answered, half bowing.

"I see. She hasn't been causing any trouble, has she?" he asked, closing his tome and turning to face me completely.

He gestured at a chair, which I don't recall being there a few days ago, on the other side of his desk, and I sat down before continuing, "Well, I'm not really sure of her intention, but she's been asking all of the staff about Lucia's past."

"She has?" He paused for a moment before inquiring, "No one has told her anything, have they?"

"Not that I know of, sir. Charlotte informed me of all of this before she got around to asking anyone that would know anything."

"That's good. Thank you for bringing this to my attention; I'll be sure to take care of it," he said.

"Thank you, Master Soren. I'll let you know if I hear of anything else." He nodded at me as I made for the door.

When I came out of the room, my wife was waiting there, tapping her foot impatiently. Her light pink tail was swishing back and forth. "Anna, what is it?" I asked, pulling her closer to me and scratching her fuzzy ears.

She pulled away from me and answered, "I need to talk to you...in private...definitely away from Lord Soren. I'll be in trouble if he finds out."

I gave her a concerned look before taking her hand and leading her down the hallway. She looked so scared, but I couldn't figure out why. I couldn't think of anything that she had done that would make Soren angry with her.

--

I sat down on our bed and patted my lap for Anna to sit down. She walked over and curled up in my lap, tears already streaming down her face. "You're going to kill me," she muttered.

I wrapped my arms around her and sighed, "I will not. What's wrong?"

"Well, I went to the library this morning, and my journal's been stolen. And...and..." she trailed off, crying hysterically.

I pulled her closer, attempting to comfort her. "And what, darling?"

She looked away from me as she replied, "I had written some things about Lady Lucia in it."

I sighed, "About what happened in the Grann Desert?"

"Y-Yes... Oh, Jonathan, I'm so sorry. I never meant to do this to her...now someone will find out what happened."

I began running my fingers through her fiery red hair. "Don't worry about it; I'll find the diary. Maybe you just overlooked it." I hope that's the case. I knew that if Lucia and Soren's secrets got out, we would likely be fired...or worse. But I wasn't about to let anything happen to Anna.

--

_A/N: I finally got this finished. I don't know why, but I couldn't concentrate. I found a way to put Kym into the story at least. And, wow, I wonder who the guy playing the piano was..._

_Anyway, the next chapter should be Lacey's (wonder why) and then they'll start switching back and forth from Geoffrey's view to Lacey's view, with some others possibly thrown in at some point._


	7. Chapter Six: Brandeds

**Never Let You Down**

**Chapter Six: Brandeds**

--

_The butler could only stand there staring as they prepared to give his wife her punishment for leaking the Delbrays' secret. They hadn't even brought his wife out yet, and already the sight pained him._

_A dozen or so fire mages stood around a large wooden platform. Their bodies nearly made a complete circle around the hunk of wood, with the only exception being an open spot in the northern direction from where Jonathan stood. The mages all had various different tomes in their hands, ranging all the way from a simple _Fire_ to the great _Bolganone._ In fact, going around the circle starting from the point directly to the right of the gap, the power of the tomes steadily increased. The first two mages held _Fire_ tomes; the next three, _Elfire_; the three after that, _Arcfire_; and the last four sages, _Bolganone.

_The plank they surrounded was made of oak and was a couple of inches thick. A large _X_ had been marked in the center of it, which the man figured was the place they meant to plant Anna's feet. Behind the stand, a heavy metal pole was nailed into the ground. What that was for, he wasn't quite sure._

_He had previously pushed his way to the front of a large crowd of spectators. Only a few feet away, Lucia and Soren stood, the woman's brother and his wife by their side. Duke Renning and Sir Kieran were also there beside them, solemn looks on their faces. Count Bastian, however, was not among the onlookers, as he was one of those sages carrying a _Bolganone_ tome._

_Before long, two male knights dragged his wife into the circle; a dark-haired female sage following close behind. Jonathan's eyes met Anna's. Her green orbs were filled with sorrow, and her vermillion hair was unkempt. Her face and sky blue dress were covered in dirt and dust. One of her pink ears was ripped slightly, and there was a large scratched running along her left arm. She walked over to the platform with a limp, which was when her husband noticed her bruised ankle. The sight of her made tears roll down his face. He hadn't been able to save her as he had promised._

_This was her reward for all those years of comforting Lucia and being like a second mother to her daughter. Jonathan and Anna had both been good friends of the now-count and countess, and they had lived near them in the Grann Desert. When the attack hit, the man's first instinct had been to keep his wife safe. He had barely been able to do that, so he would have been no use to Lucia and Kiana. Soren had already been captured, and the other man really didn't know what to do. Then, when he heard about Kiana, he had been heartbroken. She was just a little girl._

_He was snapped out of the past when one of the men handed his wife a stone of some sort. Squinting his eyes, he was able to make out its faint orange color and fine cut. The other knight then held a sword to Anna's throat until she activated the laguz stone._

_The man watched as his wife's body turned into that of a pink cat. She growled lowly as her hands and feet were replaced by paws and her hair turned to fur. Black distinctive markings appeared, making a pattern up and down her back, and whiskers started to grow from her face, matching the width of her body. It reminded Jonathan of the times he would laugh as Anna used her whiskers to test if she would get stuck in small places, but this was no laughing matter._

_Once her transformation was complete, the first knight hooked a chain to her collar and lead her up the steps to the _X_ on the platform. He took the other end of the chain and attached it to the pole behind Anna. She hissed at the coal-haired sage as she took her place with the other magic-wielders, completing the circle, and the two knights walked away._

_As soon as the Arch Sage turned around, Jonathan recognized her. _Lacey._ As if telling on his wife wasn't bad enough, now she was here to lead this little band of sorcerers in the burning of his wife? It was that witch that needed burning, not his precious Anna!_

_Still, Jonathan could only watch as the woman raised her hand and began chanting a spell he recognized as _Rexflame_. His wife howled in pain as fire blast upon fire blast from all thirteen mages hit her. The platform on which she stood had also caught on fire, and was most likely burning her paws. The man couldn't peel his eyes off of her, despite the situation she was in._

_This was his punishment: watching her life slowly slip away from her._

_As she was nearing her last breath, Bastian and Lacey, along with a few others among the sages, pulled out their _Mend_ staves and restored her health. What were they up to? He wasn't left to wonder long though, as their staves were soon replaced with their tomes as they once more rained fire down upon the cat. Tear-streaks now stained Jonathan's face. So, killing her wasn't enough for them; they had to make it slow and painful, eh?_

_Finally, the sky no longer lit up with fire, and the mages shut their tomes. Jonathan could have sworn that he saw Lacey smirking at him, but did not have time to dwell on that as Anna attempted to revert back to her human-like form, and she quickly lost her balance. The woman's husband quickly rushed through the crowd and caught his wife, just as she collapsed. There were burns all over her body, and holes were present in her once-beautiful dress._

_As he pulled her closer to him, he whispered in her ear, "Anna, I'm so sorry. Everything's going to be all right, okay?" She attempted to nod her head but ended up wincing from the pain it caused, so he added, "Please don't try to move, sweetheart. We'll get your wounds taken care of, and then--" Before he could finish, a sudden gust of wind knocked him to his knees._

_Looking up, he found Soren standing over them, a _Tornado_ tome in hand. He glared at Jonathan. "It doesn't feel all-that-great to be so powerless to help someone you love, now does it?" he spat venomously._

_Jonathan ignored the man and turned back to his wife. She clutched his hand tightly, and, with her last dying breath, whispered, "Jonathan...I...love you."_

_--_

The man sprung straight up in bed and frantically searched around for his wife. He let out a sigh of relief when he found her still sleeping contently next to him. He tore the covers off of himself and stepped out of bed. His bare feet were met by the cool stone floor, but he couldn't let that distract him.

_I have to find that journal._

--

The king of Daein smiled, both pleased and amused by the drawings his three-year-old twins had made for him.

The first, Carlie's creation, was a large purple heart surrounded by a chain of daisies. Anyone else would have pointed out the scribbling outside of the lines, but he could care less. On the back, in large blue letters, she had messily printed "Happy Father's Day" with the help of her mother.

The second, his son, Braedon's, masterpiece, was a long wooden stick--a training sword--surrounded by green grass, to represent the training field his father always practiced in. He had also written "Happy Father's Day," less neatly than his sister--he wanted to do it all by himself and refused Micaiah's help, according to Ike's wife--on the front, under the blade.

He went over and set these two next to another on his desk in the study. He glanced at the other drawing momentarily. Directly in the center of the page were two dogs--a Boxer and a white husky. In front of the two was a tiny black and white cat. The painting of Ace, Isobel, and Syesha had been completed by Soren and Lucia's daughter when she was the same age as the royal siblings of Daein were now. Ike had found the drawing in the ruins of the Delbrays' house when he had gone to the little girl's funeral. He had figured that he would save it for her parents, as they probably weren't ready to see it quite yet.

But now, that picture only served as a memory to Ike of how awful his best friend's Father's Day must have been.

--

The woman looked around for her husband as she entered their bedchambers. She found him sitting cross-legged under the covers of their bed. His back was propped up against the headboard, and he was staring intently at the book in his hands, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she had just walked into the room.

She quietly made her way over to the bed, so as to disturb him as little as possible, her pale green nightdress swaying slightly as she moved. She jumped a bit, startled, as a candle that had previously been flickering was blown out.

"The wind," her husband informed her, not even glancing up from his tome.

"Of course," she replied, walking over to the open window and looking out at the star-filled sky as her husband relit his bedside candle. She shivered and wrapped her arms around her upper body as another cool breeze sent chills down her spine. She took one last glance at the violet sky and all the stars that rested in it before sighing and closing the shutters.

She then moved away from the window, towards the bed, and curled up next to Soren. Without even looking away from the pages of his book, her husband used one hand to pull the bedspread over her shivering body. After a few minutes of silence, the swordswoman spoke up, "I just realized what today is..." Upon receiving no reply, she continued, "So, happy Father's Day?"

He looked over at her, and with disbelieving eyes exclaimed, "Oh, yes, by all means, why don't we celebrate my being a bad father!"

"That's not true," she tried to reassure him, wrapping her arms around him in a hug.

He snapped his book shut and leaned over her to place it next to his candle on the nightstand her brother had made for them. He then returned her hug and asked, "What's not true?"

"You weren't a bad father, Soren," she explained, burying her face in his thick robes.

He thought for a moment as he played with a lock of her hair. Even though he didn't quite believe what she had said about him not being an awful father, he found himself whispering, "Whatever you say, Lucia. Whatever you say."

--

_A/N: Okay, so I know I said Lacey's chapter would be next, but I thought that some parts of that might have been a little hard to understand without some more back story (though not much more was revealed). Also, I don't condone animal chaining in any way, despite what was written in that first scene. I actually think animal chaining is one of the worst forms of neglect and abuse...yes, I felt the need to point this out._


	8. Chapter Seven: Lacey, Part III

**Never Let You Down**

**Chapter Seven: Lacey, Part III**

**--**

_A/N: I'll warn you, Anna's journal is full of sappy romancey stuff. Don't ask why, even I don't know..._

**--**

I was hunched over my desk in the Delbrays' library in the near-pitch-black. Had it not been for the candle I had previously lit using the new Fire spell Soren taught me, the task I was about to complete would have been much more difficult. Tonight, I would dive straight into the love story that would puzzle me for days and nights until I found an answer to my question.

The book I was shifting through was one of the most beautifully written pieces I'd seen in awhile. Words in the old tongue filled the pages, making what was said all the more special. Yes, it was but a journal, and one written by a simple seamstress at that, but it was genuine and sweet, and, in every way, from the heart.

The leather-bound book began with a simple quote on the cover page. _De mortuis nil nisi bonum._ I quickly translated the saying using the hardcover book I had previously taken from the shelf and smiled to myself.

_"Say nothing about the dead but good." Clever..._

After the opening, I began reading an entry dated back eleven years ago.

--

_Today was the most fabulous day in my whole entire life! King Caineghis had some visitors from the noble families from one of the beorc lands--Crimea, possibly? There was a count from a place called Delbray, if I remember correctly. I hadn't expected him to even pay me attention or anything, but he didn't seem to resent the laguz like some of the others. His two teenage children were with him as well. The girl, Lucia, I believe, was only a few years younger than I am. She was really nice, but her brother...wasn't fond of smiling, apparently._

_Then there was the oddest man I'd ever seen. A Count Fayre, if I'm not mistaken. I really wasn't sure of what he was saying half the time (I barely even know the modern tongue...was I supposed to understand his intricate speech too?), but he smiled a lot, so I assume he was nice._

_Sitting next to him was the most stunning man I'd ever seen. His dark brown hair was slicked back and his brown eyes were absolutely gorgeous! His name was Jonathan--yes, I'm so excited to be on a first name basis with a high-ranking noble. But alas, I'm nothing more than a soldier... What's more, I'm only seventeen in beorc terms, and he's seven years my senior...my father would have a fit! And still, I can't seem to get him off my mind._

_--_

I smiled to myself. Everything about Anna's journal was so touching, so...sincere. The puzzling thing about it, though, was what she had said about Jonathan...he wasn't a noble, was he? Unless he was, and he had to give up his position for marrying a laguz. It was a possibility, but I wasn't quite sure.

Sighing, I flipped the page and read the next entry, dated a few days later.

--

_Such a sad day was this. I suppose I should be happy, as I've been given a great opportunity, but it comes with a cost, as all do. Tomorrow is the day that Jonathan will be leaving, which saddens me greatly, but he's offered to-- Well, maybe I should replay these events for you instead of a summary--they are so grand, after all._

_--_

_This morning began with Jonathan accompanying me on a stroll in the gardens, as we had become quite close over the past few days (much to my excitement). I had worn my favorite light pink sundress--the one my mother had designed and made for me--with the little yellow flowers dotting the fabric. My hair was pulled up in a bun fashion, and a small silver chain hung around my neck. Jonathan wore a simple white shirt and black pants--nothing like what you'd expect from a noble._

_He suddenly stopped and bent down, taking a large flower between his fingers and plucking it. I gasped--King Caineghis was going to kill him for that! I smiled as he turned around and held it out in front of me. Due to my limited knowledge of flowers, I hadn't a clue what this large, pale pink blossom was (though my mother later informed me that it was a peony)._

_"A flower, Milady?" he smirked, handing the bloom to me._

_I rolled my eyes as I carefully took it from him. "Thank you, Milord."_

_"You're welcome," he smiled as he offered me his arm--which I gladly took. He continued, "It matches your dress and your ears too." I shied away as he took his free hand and moved it towards my ear. He frowned. "What's wrong, Miss Anna?"_

_I sighed, "Doesn't the fact that I'm a laguz bother you?"_

_"No, not at all. In fact, I'm going to miss you quite a bit when I return to Crimea," he replied._

_I stopped, and put my hands on my hips. "_Please_! I'm sure that you have women surrounding you all day long, being a noble and all--" He laughed at me. I didn't see what was funny at all! "What?!" I glared at him and folded my arms across my chest._

_"First of all, I'm not a noble; I'm only a butler. Disappoint you any?" When I shook my head, he sighed, looking a bit relieved. Before I could speak up, he continued, "I glad of that then; what I'm about to ask you next wouldn't have really gone with a 'yes' answer."_

_I cocked my head in confusion. "Whatever could you mean, Jonathan?" I questioned._

_"Well, the Count Delbray has been looking for someone to be his new maid. When I suggested that maybe you could come back to Crimea with us to fill that position, he was ecstatic," he explained._

_I stared at him in shock. "Me? Why would he want me? I'm only a soldier! And a laguz at that...the other workers would have a fit," I mumbled, looking away from him and towards the ground._

_"Look," he started, using his hand to push my chin upwards to face him, "anyone that has a problem with you or your race can take it up with me."_

_I could tell that he was serious--his eyes said everything. I sighed, "But...what about my family?"_

_He sighed as well and ran his fingers through his hair. "I-I hadn't thought about that," he admitted. "I suppose they could come also."_

_I shook my head. "They wouldn't." It was the truth. So many times before had I heard both of my parents say that they would never leave Gallia again. I didn't know what the "again" part meant, but that didn't matter to me. If I wanted to leave, it should be my decision, not theirs._

_"Well, I guess we don't have much of a choice then. You'll either have to stay or become a runaway. I couldn't ask that of you, no matter how much I'd like to see you daily. You're too young to leave on your own."_

_I glanced at him defiantly, placing my hands on my hips once more. "Oh, am I?"_

_He rolled his eyes and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Think it over, okay, Anna? We'll be leaving early tomorrow morning, so if you decide that you want to come, meet us by the main entrance of Zarzi before seven." He paused for a moment, "But don't worry your parents too much. At least leave them a note to let them know where you are and that you're safe."_

_--_

_I honestly don't know what to do. I want to go with Jonathan so badly; I want to experience beorc traditions, but my family won't be there... I haven't known a time where we were separated for more than a day my whole life._

_Glancing over at the peony sitting on my desk, beside my hand which is currently writing this confession, I know exactly what I must do. My family if my life, but Jonathan...Jonathan is my heart._

_--_

I sat there, shocked. Anna had actually run away from home? And Jonathan had encouraged it? That was nothing like the quiet seamstress and refined butler that I knew. It was so uncharacteristic of both of them, I wasn't sure whether or not I should believe what I had just read. There had to be more to this... There had to be some kind of explanation.

As I went to flip the page to read on, I noticed that something red had been spilled all over the next few pages. I was stunned...was that _blood_ all over the pages? Regardless of what it was, it had made the next few entries unreadable.

Sighing, I decided to skip to the next un-bloodied page. This page had blood splattered on it in places, too, but it was at least comprehensible. The numbers at the top dated back only a little over a year. Wait, where had the last ten years gone? The handwriting on the page wasn't as neat and unstressed as what I had known the others to be. It looked almost...rushed, worried. I didn't know a proper word for it really.

I scanned through a couple pages in my translation book and began deciphering the ancient tongue.

--

_I know I haven't written in such a long time, but there honestly hasn't been much time. I don't have much time now--oh, something awful's happened. I knew that I never should have come with Jonathan! Our next bad move was coming to the Grann Desert with Soren and Lucia. If I had known something like this would happen, I would have never come in the first place! Those human scum are so cruel!_

_But the countess...I feel so sorry for her. I know how alone she feels, and it makes me so guilty. I have Jonathan to take care of me, but now that they've taken Soren away, she has to fend for herself. Then there's Kiana... Oh, I wish we could have helped them!_

_But Jonathan only insisted on keeping _me_ safe. He didn't even care for himself! I don't even know where he is right now... He hid me here in this tiny little cabin a ways away from the settlement and then took off. I fear for his safety, but I know that going to find him would only be foolish. Oh, why did those beorc have to ruin everything?!_

_Mother, Father, I'm so sorry for ever leaving you. I-- Wait, I think I hear something. Jonathan must be back. No...it doesn't smell like_

--

I stared at the page blankly. That was how it ended? But what happened to her after that...had she been harmed? I shook my head. _Lacey, you're insane. She's still alive..._ Still, something didn't feel right. Maybe the next entry would explain the situation better. But what was that awful thing that she mentioned? I hadn't heard of anything awful happening in the Grann Desert. And anyway, who was Kiana?

As I went to flip the next page, a hand suddenly slammed down on the journal, nearly crushing my hand, had I not moved it out of the way in time. Looking up, I found Jonathan towering over me, his eyes filled with anger.

"I don't believe this belongs to you," he spat, glaring at me and snatching the book away.

I returned his glare. "I know that, but Soren said I could read _any_ book in the library," I bit back.

"Soren..." he paused, "wants to speak with you in his office."

He smirked, turning and walking towards the exit of the library. I was about to just let him leave when I remembered the last thing I had read. "Wait! Jonathan, what happened in the Grann Desert?" I called after him.

He didn't turn around, he only responded with, "I...almost lost my wife. That is all you need to know." I thought I could detect a slight sniffle in his voice. For that reason, I didn't press the matter further and allowed him to retreat from the library.

I sighed. So he had told Soren about my investigation after all, had he? I mean, why else would the count want to see me? It wasn't time for him to give me a new assignment, and rarely ever did he call on me for something not related to my studies. The investigation was the only other likely explanation.

I stood up, pushing in my chair, that annoying sound of stone being scraped by something filling my ears. I picked up the translation book and slid it back into its spot on the shelf. Heading for the door, I noticed a piece of paper lying on the floor. _Jonathan must have dropped it_, I thought.

When I reached it, I bent down and picked it up, finding that it wasn't just a piece of paper, but a tiny portrait instead. Seated next to that huge dog that likes to terrorize all the workers here--Ace, or something like that--was a little girl. She looked to be only two and had pitch black locks framing her face. Her blue eyes looked so peaceful, and she bore the same mark on her forehead as Soren did.

I flipped the object over, and noticed on the back that a name had been written on it in Anna's elegant handwriting. _Kiana_. Well, that answered one question...now if only I knew who this Kiana was...

--

_A/N: Yes, I used Latin for the ancient tongue. And I'll apologize if that's not the meaning of the phrase--I took it out of one of my school books (though I'd hope they'd know what they're talking about). Anyway, this chapter seemed kind of choppy to me. It didn't seem to flow very well, and I'm sure changing from Lacey's view to Anna's journal view was confusing. Hopefully the next one will be better..._


	9. Chapter Eight: Geoffrey, Part I

**Never Let You Down**

**Chapter Eight: Geoffrey, Part I**

_**--**_

_"M-Mister...you'll tell my momma and daddy I love 'em, right?"_

Those words still rang loud and clear in my head. They haunted my every dream, forever serving as a reminder of the awful brother, uncle, knight, king, and person I was. I had allowed my niece to be killed. I hadn't stopped them; I hadn't known, but that still doesn't make it right. I had pushed my sister's family away, leading to all of the drama that ensued afterwards. I hadn't been quick enough to save her daughter either.

I had figured that maybe my sister would get over it--I wasn't a father, I didn't know how hard it would be to get over the loss of your child. I hadn't understood her pain until the other night when she and Soren had gone out to dinner with us. Lucia was just so sad and unattached. She didn't speak much; she didn't smile. Soren, too, wasn't himself. He did not openly criticize everything. He seemed genuinely concerned with my sister. What's more, he even seemed loving towards her.

I had never expected that the Branded could act in such a way. I never knew he _could_ care for others--or rather, that he _would_. I had always used his race as an excuse to talk my sister out of marrying him. To tell the truth, I didn't care whether or not he was a Branded; it wouldn't have mattered even if he was a laguz. I only cared about my sister's feelings; I didn't want her to be crushed by this man.

That's the funny thing, really. I had cared about her feelings, yet I stomped all over them myself. I had made her cry, I know, and I was generally awful towards her. I wouldn't listen to what she had to say about Soren--I didn't want her to defend him, but now I see that he shouldn't have needed to be defended. He wasn't cruel as I'd expected from his appearance and former actions. He could be caring and compassionate...much more than I could. He wouldn't let her down, and now, neither could I.

I'd made up my mind and knew exactly what I would have to do to make my sister happy again--or at least to take away some of her pain. Her daughter's four killers, I would track them down and show them no mercy. They didn't deserve to still be breathing when Kiana's life had ended. Whether my sister or Soren liked the decision or not, it was something I had to do to prove that I really _did_ care about their family.

That is why I left my own wife in search of something, some clue that would help me to fulfill this new purpose I had.

--

It had been days since I left the comfort of Crimea for the chilling presence of Daein. I had determined this to be the best place to begin my search, as it was the least likely for them to be here--making it all the more likely that they _were_ in fact here. No one would expect them to hide in a country that had been affected by what they had done, now would they? That wasn't the only reason for me to come here though. To tell the truth, I hadn't gotten a good look at any of the killers that day, so I doubted that I would be able to pick them out of a crowd. The king and queen of Daein, though, wouldn't have a hard time with that.

And that is the reason why I was currently sitting in their meeting room with them. We sat around a large circular table, with Ike in the spot closest to the door, Micaiah to the left of him, and myself straight across from him. I had a piece of paper and a quill and ink in front of me to write down all that they said.

"Lord Ike, Lady Micaiah, thank you so much for allowing me a meeting on such short notice," I began.

The queen replied, "Lord Geoffrey, it isn't a bother at all. Whatever we can do to help you find those who murdered Kiana, we will do."

I nodded. "Thank you. As you probably know, all four of the demons are still loose. I know not their names nor much about them, so I was hoping that you would tell me all that you know and also allow me to use the streets of Daein to advertise this information."

"That won't be a problem," Ike paused. "To start off with, we have Mark. He seemed to be Chuck's right hand man. He wasn't very tall; he had dark brown hair, light brown eyes."

_Mark, the right-hand man--kind of short, brown hair, brown eyes, _I wrote.

Micaiah continued, "And then there was Julianne--Chuck's girlfriend. Blonde hair, blue eyes, around 5'4". She's fairly strong, considering she took Ike out without much trouble." Her husband glared at her for revealing that last statement. She didn't pay him any attention though, and neither did I.

_Julianne, the girlfriend--5'4", blonde hair, blue eyes. Strong enough to beat Ike._

"Derek is her brother. He's maybe, four or five inches taller than she. He also has blond hair and blue eyes," Ike commented.

_Derek, the brother--roughly 5'8", 5'9", blond hair, blue eyes._

Micaiah nodded. "Then the last is Shawn. She's not even 5 foot, possibly around 4'10". Blonde hair, light brown eyes, I think. If I recall correctly, she was the youngest, only being in her teens."

_Shawn, the youngest--4'10", blonde hair, brown eyes._

"Yes, she was quite possibly the nicest of them all too, though that really doesn't say much," Ike stated.

I added _Nicest._ to the list.

"Yes, anyone that would associate herself with those who would murder a woman's child, especially after the stillbirth of her other child is--" I stopped Micaiah from continuing.

"Stillbirth?" I questioned.

Her eyes widened. "Lucia hadn't told you?"

"No, I'm afraid not," I admitted. "Would you care to fill me in?"

"I-I, it really isn't my place..." she stuttered. "You would have to ask her about it, I've said too much all ready."

I nodded. "Thank you for your time then. If you'll excuse me, I should get to work on trying to find these four before anything...else...happens."

Ike stood up from his spot at the table, as did I, and we shook hands. He then led me to the door and we both stepped outside, shutting the door behind us. He turned to me, after making sure there was no one around, and sighed. "I'm sorry that we can't tell you more about what happened with your sister, but if she hasn't told you, I assume that there must be a reason."

"Of course. I was just a bit shocked by the information, that's all. She's never told me about Kiana, so hearing this news just adds to the millions of secrets she keeps from me," I responded.

The king placed a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry about it. I've learned a lot about Lucia over the past few years, and I know she's not one to like having people feeling sorry for her. I'm sure she just didn't tell you because she didn't want you to worry."

"You're probably right. Thank you, Ike."

--

When I'd arrived back in the room I'd be staying in that night in Castle Daein, I laid my notes on the desk and shut the window that had been opened to provide fresh air to my chambers. After this was finished, I sat down on the bed and sighed. Things were much worse than I'd expected them to be. The news of the stillbirth not only confused me, but crushed my spirits as well. Not only had Lucia and Soren lost Kiana, but another child as well.

I wondered why my sister had never told me, but I suppose it was too painful for her to talk about. Soren had never said anything about it either, and if Elincia had known, I don't doubt that she would have told me. Had it not been for Micaiah and Ike, I probably would have never found out. Maybe there was more meaning to me coming to Daein than I thought...


	10. Chapter Nine: Lacey, Part IV

**Never Let You Down**

**Chapter Nine: Lacey, Part IV**

**--**

As I made my way down the long hallway to where Soren's office was, I couldn't help but wonder what my punishment would be. While it was true that I deserved the worst for my invasion of privacy, something about my actions actually seemed...justified. I know it sounds crazy, after all, I _did_ dig into his wife's past, and I wasn't too secretive about it either. Surely he would find out _everything_ about my so-called investigation, and it was quite possible that he would drop me as a student. Oh, I really don't want that to happen--I love it here oh-so-much!

Aside from my thoughts of righteous punishments for my deeds, the only other sound my ears could detect was the click-clack of my high heels against the stone floor. I moved past all of the dungeon's empty cells, their doors wide open and the cots within neatly made. When I reached the last cell on the right, I stepped in and saw Soren sitting behind a large oak desk, furiously scribbling away in a deep violet manuscript. He didn't look up when I entered and merely pointed a finger to a chair facing him. "Take a seat, please, Lacey," he ordered, turning a page in the book and writing some more.

I glanced around the room as I awaited the lecture that was to come. I had only visited his office once before--for my interview before I was accepted as his student--and I guess it never before struck me as odd that his office would be a spare cell in the dungeon of the castle--weren't there plenty of spare bedrooms in this mansion that could better serve the purpose?

To give a brief description, the room wasn't at all very big. The floor was composed of a set of light grey stones, as were the walls. Stacks of books varying from spell books to strategy books to important records--and even, a book of fairytales?--covered the floor and, most of which, reached almost all the way to the ceiling. All sorts of papers were scattered about, and the only furniture was Soren's desk--along with my chair and his. An unlit candle sat on the corner of his desk, and a barred window sat in the stone of the back wall. That was really all there was to the office.

As I continued to wait, my eyes kept drifting over to the book of fables in the stack near his desk. This wasn't one of the piles that soared to the ceiling but rather one that leveled off nicely with his desk. The book was on top of many important tomes--I could recognize the blood-red side cover of _Bolganone_, the golden color of _Arcthunder_, and the deep green of _Rexcalibur._

Why a childless sage like Soren would have such a thing...I couldn't quite grasp. Then again, I suppose Aslyn was only eight and could very well still enjoy hearing those fantasies, but something told me that that wasn't it.

_I wonder..._ I thought, remembering the portrait I had previously placed in between the pages of my tome. _No, Kiana couldn't have anything to do with this. She had some connection to Anna and Jonathan, not Sor--wait! Hadn't Anna said something about Kiana and _Lucia_? That couldn't mean..._

I was pulled back into reality when my mentor snapped his book shut. I watched intently as he slid the book to the right-hand side of his desk. I caught a glimpse of the title and smiled inwardly. _Delbray Family History_. As I secretly thought of ways to get my hands on this treasure, Soren began, "I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Lacey, but I needed to finish that before I forgot what I was writing. Now I suppose you'd like to know why I called you in here, correct?"

I nodded. "Yes, Master Soren."

"Well, to start with, you never turned in your assignment from the other night. The _Blizzard_ translation, remember?" he questioned.

I had, in fact, forgotten all about the translation, but I wouldn't dare tell him that. "I'm sorry, Milord. It was just too difficult," I lied.

He gave me a disbelieving look. "If that is the case, then why didn't you ask for help? Karenna or I would have been happy to offer our assistance, and even Aslyn could have shown you where the translation books are in the library."

"I-I know, sir. I just didn't want to be a bother." Another lie.

He sighed, "I'll forgive you this once, but please don't let it happen again."

"Thank you, sir. I won't," I mumbled.

"Good." He continued, "Now our next issue is with some of the workers. Apparently, several of my employees have complained to the butler that you have been disturbing them in the middle of their shifts. Would you care to explain yourself?"

Disturbing them during their shifts...that was all? Had Jonathan not told him about my questioning then? This may not be as bad as I thought...

Putting on a smile, I shrugged. "I was just trying to be friendly...get to know everyone a little better, you know?"

He raised an eyebrow at the comment. "So asking about my wife's past is being 'friendly,' is it?"

My smile instantly disappeared. Of course the butler couldn't keep that to himself. "I-I just wanted to know a little about her, that's all. S-She just always looks so sad; I wanted to h-help her," I stammered.

"If you have questions about Lucia," he started, "you ask me, and I will tell you as much as you _need_ to know."

I turned my gaze to the stone floor beneath my feet. "Of course, Master Soren. I'm sorry, I hadn't meant anything by it."

"I know that, Lacey. Now if you will, please get back to your studies. I expect that translation to be finished by next week. If you need help, let me know," he said, grabbing a sheet of paper from one of the drawers of his desk and beginning to jot something down on it.

I stood up from my wooden chair and quickly brushed the hair back from my eyes. The room was filled with near-silence--with the only noise being from my heels against the stone--as I walked towards the door. I stopped suddenly, my back still facing Soren, and blurted out, "What happened in the Grann Desert?"

"How do you know anything about that?" He sounded both shocked and angry.

"I overheard some of the workers talking about it."

"Which ones?"

"I don't know," I lied, not wanting to get Ashly and Tony in trouble.

He said nothing for a long time, so I was about to leave when he spoke up. "I made a lot of bad decisions in the Grann. Some cost me the lives of those dear to me."

"Like Kiana?" I guessed.

"How...How do you know about her?"

I sighed, "I found her photo in the library. Was she your daughter, Milord?"

"You don't need to know anything about her," he snapped. "And please...never mention her name to Lucia," he pleaded.

"I won't," I muttered as I left his office. I hadn't meant to upset him, but he _did_ tell me to ask him _anything_ I wanted to know. It wasn't like I'd asked how she died, I just wanted to know who she was...

I was just about to walk up the dungeon's steps and emerge onto the first floor when I heard two voices coming from the room I had just departed. The first belonged to Soren himself, but I couldn't identify the second speaker. He spoke low, and his voice sounded as if it was muffled by something.

"Who's she?" I could hear him ask.

Soren replied, "My new student. Now tell me, Fireman, have you gathered the information I've asked of you?"

Fireman...who was he? And why would the count of Delbray need _him_ to gather information--didn't his wife used to run a spy network? Surely she had someone capable of getting the job done, so why was he here?

--

_A/N: Hm, now you all get to enjoy this chapter while I go to the eye doctor's. That should be fun (not). But anyway, we'll hear from Lacey again in three more chapters...and that may take awhile (but I won't say why)._


	11. Chapter Ten: Soren, Part I

**Never Let You Down**

**Chapter Ten: Soren, Part I**

**--**

I glanced at the man leaning on the wall opposite my office desk. He was cloaked in black, and a brown scarf rested around his neck. A crimson headband covered his forehead, and a cloth of the same color enveloped the lower portion of his face. Multiple daggers were sheathed around his waist and other places. This, this was the Fireman: the man I had hired to do some undercover work for me.

"So, Volke, what have you found?" I inquired as I folded up the piece of paper I had formerly been writing on. I then proceeded to stuff the note into a hidden pocket of my robe.

"Two thousand," is his simple reply.

I shake my head. "No, I already paid you for the information," I argue.

"Correction: you paid me to _find_ the information, not to _relay_ it to you," he states, his eyes staring back at me blankly. I should have known that there was a catch when he only charged me 30,000 gold for the job.

I sighed, "I know you usually don't do things before you get paid, but can I just pay you before you leave? I don't carry that kind of money around with me, and I don't want Lucia to get suspicious and follow me back down here."

He stood there for a moment, thinking. He probably figured that he could ruin my reputation as a nobleman by letting everyone know that I do business with deadly assassins if I didn't pay, so he decided to compromise. "You may retrieve it later for five thousand."

I let out an aggravated sigh. "Fine! Please just tell me what I need to know," I pleaded.

"As you wish," he began, "though I will first do another thing I normally don't do. ...Are you sure that you want to know this?"

"Not really," I admit, "but for Lucia's sake, I must."

He nodded. "I see. Now, I'll first tell you that this wasn't an easy case to deal with, and I'm not entirely sure of the results. However, I do have reasonable evidence to back it up--if the source is reliable enough, that is," he paused, and I motioned for him to go on. It wasn't like the so-called "Fireman" to give a long speech like this. In fact, had I not known better, I would have thought I was talking to a less extravagant Bastian. It was nothing like Volke--he was usually quick to strike, fast at getting information, and able to relay it in a reasonable manner--much to the likeness of fire, hence the nickname.

"So anyway, I ended up in Daein's royal libraries, and I found a journal written by an old-time healer--the one to deliver the Mad King's son. He included a description of him, and that son...is you," he finished.

I was unable to contain a gasp. I couldn't be Ashnard's son...it wasn't possible! He was a monster; I was...did that mean that I was a monster too? Would I grow to become as power-hungry and heartless as he? And Lucia...would I treat her as Lady Almedha was treated?

These questions and many others floated around in my head, all demanding answers I couldn't give. If what my informant said was true, how would I tell Lucia? Surely she could only have hatred towards the child of the man that had destroyed her country and killed her king and queen. He had caused her so much pain; I didn't want to cause her any more. But what could I do? I couldn't _not_ tell her.

I had forgotten all about Volke being there until he placed a hand on my shoulder. "Look, Soren, it could be someone else. I'm just telling you what I found."

"I know, and thank you for your work. It's just a lot to take in, you know? Would you happen to have that book with you?" I questioned, both looking forward to and dreading seeing the account for myself.

"No, it wasn't allowed to be checked out of the library--something about it being a national treasure or something," he explained. Shrugging, the man continued, "I would have just stolen it, but I know that they would soon realize that it was missing and start a continental search. You or Lucia probably would have been hanged had it been found here."

I unwillingly flinched at the word _hanged_. It brought back all of those memories of my wife's predicament years ago during the rebellion. None of us dared to talk about such a sore subject anymore, but I still remember it clearly...

--

_We had all been disguised as commoners in the crowd, waiting for our chance to strike. Before us stood Lucia on the gallows, a defiant expression on her features. She looked straight ahead, not caring what insults the soldiers threw at her. At one point she looked more to the side and met my gaze. I'm not sure whether or not she recognized me at that moment, but she soon looked away--I figured that if she did know my identity, she didn't want to attract attention to my position. Otherwise, she probably didn't care._

_I cringed as one of the men struck her with his lance. Gripping my tome tighter, I first turned to Rhys beside me and then Shinon in the tree. If we hadn't made our move soon, we might have lost our chance._

_Finally, I nodded to Shinon: our indication for Rolf to release his arrow. Ike was standing nearby, ready to retrieve Lucia's body. I waited impatiently for a minute: where was the sniper's arrow? Suddenly, an arrow whizzed by, but I did not recognize it as Rolf's. Instead it belonged to his older mentor. That was strange; had something happened to Rolf?_

_The arrow soon hit the rope, and an unconscious Lucia fell into Ike's outstretched arms. I had wanted to rush right over to her but knew that I couldn't--it wasn't part of the plan. So, instead, I began blasting enemies with _Elwind_ spells, while Mist and Rhys tended to the swordswoman. Soon all of the mercenaries joined the fray, as planned, as did Geoffrey and his knights. Lucia would be fine._

_--_

_After the rebel troops were done away with, we all regrouped inside the fort. Geoffrey carried his sister, who had yet to regain consciousness, up to a spare bedroom and stood guard outside the door. Rhys followed him upstairs to monitor Lucia and to make sure that nothing took a turn for the worst. I silently listened to the others chat with the queen, taking in only half of what was said. My mind would not allow itself to wander off of Lucia's condition._

_There had been no pat on the back for me after this last strategy; we had almost been too late. What was I thinking in giving such a huge role to Rolf? It's probably a good thing he didn't shoot the arrow, or else we'd currently be dealing with _more_ of Lucia's injuries. Maybe I was just being too hard on him...and myself. The woman had been saved, yes? But for ever allowing her to be put in that position, I was a failure._

_When I could take the suspense no longer, I headed up the steps and found Geoffrey on the second floor. He stood directly in front of the closed door, arms folded across his chest and a stern look plastered on his face. It took some convincing, but he finally allowed me to see her._

_When I entered, Rhys quickly bowed his head and scurried out the door, leaving us alone. I took a deep breath and slowly moved towards the bed. In its center, the swordswoman slept contently, covers draped over her body. The dirt had been washed off her face, and, judging by the pile of clothes in the floor, her dirt-caked outfit had been replaced by a new one._

_I took her hand in mine and then quickly tucked it under the covers, its coldness shocking me. My hand then moved to her hair. I placed a blue lock in between my fingers and shook my head; they had cut so much of it off..._

_In a moment my hand pulled back to my cheek, touching the warm liquid that had rolled down it. Were those...tears? No, I hadn't cried in ages, how could...? None of this made sense: my worried feeling for the noble, my need to save her, the tears now streaming down my face..._

_--_

I suppose I hadn't realized it then--just how much I loved the woman that was now my wife. I had never experienced such an emotion, and now the thought of losing her because of my lineage was a worse feeling that all else.

Remembering Volke was still there, I turned to the assassin and sighed. "You're right, and so I will head out for Daein tomorrow to investigate this myself."

He nodded. "That sounds like the best option." He continued, "Now, if you'll pay me, I'll be leaving."

"Of course," I started, "but first, I have another job for you to consider. I'll pay 150,000 gold, if you're willing."

He looked as though he were thinking it over in his mind for a few minutes before speaking. "Such a large sum--what is it that you would want me to do?"

--

That night was a sleepless one for me. I tossed and turned for endless hours as a thunderstorm raged overhead--surely the storm was a bad omen. Neither my restlessness nor the thunder woke Lucia though, and for that I was thankful. She was already upset by the fact that I was leaving her in the morning, and I didn't want her to see how distraught I was and have her start to worry.

A loud thunderclap caused me to suddenly jump, and I reached for my wife and pulled her closer, enveloping her in a tight hug. She loosened my arms from around her waist and turned over, looking me in the eyes.

"I-I'm sorry, Lucia. I didn't mean to wake you," I stammered.

"Soren, what's wrong? You're never this jumpy," she commented, kissing me lightly on the cheek.

I sighed, "I'm afraid, I suppose."

"Really? Of what?" She gave me a disbelieving look. "You're never afraid of anything."

"I don't want you to leave me," I whispered.

She chuckled. "Leave you? I'm your wife; I'd never do that!"

"Not even if we found out that one of my parents was a great villain?" I suggested, hoping she wouldn't think too hard on that statement. I didn't want her to know about what Volke had said until I confirmed it.

"I wouldn't leave you--and I'd still love you--even if your father turned out to be King Ashnard or someone like that."

Though it was a nice gesture, I couldn't hold her to it. Once she found out the truth, I knew our marriage wouldn't last. I'd failed her so many times already...


	12. Chapter Eleven: Geoffrey, Part II

**Never Let You Down**

**Chapter Eleven: Geoffrey, Part II**

**--**

As I pulled out a chair in Castle Daein's dining hall and took a seat, I tried not to let my worry and disappointment show on my expression. Thus far there had been no word on any sightings of any of my niece's killers, and that only made me feel terrible and worthless.

_Calm down, Geoffrey. It's only been a mere few days since you've been in Daein. Something will come up eventually..._

"Your water, Milord," a brunette interrupted my thoughts as she walked up to the table, a glass in hand.

I nodded as she set the water on the table before me. "Thank you, Afton."

"It isn't a problem, Your Highness," the girl stated as she pulled out a chair and sat down across the table from my position. As I took slow sips of the water, I looked the young woman that served as my personal servant on this trip over carefully.

She was a rather short girl who was fond of wearing high heels of several inches. Dark brown curls framed her face; caramel-colored eyes stared off into space, indicating that she was in deep thought--as I had learned years ago. She wore a pure white dress, which nearly matched her ivory complexion, with lace and frills along the sleeves. This girl had been a friend of mine, my sister's, and my wife's since childhood, so it came as a surprise to me when I just now noticed how much she looked like her sister...or rather, _all_ of her sisters.

Yes, Afton was the younger sister of Ashly, the cook that worked in the Delbray kitchen. They had a striking resemblance to each other, though Afton looked younger and less freckled in appearance and seemed to be a more devoted worker.

Both sisters had grown up close to our family and had been incredibly close friends to Lucia and Elincia, despite them not being nobles. This closeness had made them perfect choices for employees when their family ran into financial difficulties and my father was in need of people to fill the empty positions in our staff some years back. Naturally, the women had to deny knowing us personally, as it was not professional to hire your friends, and the nobles would have a fit if they knew that my father had raised us among "commoners." The nobles already complained about every little decision my father, and now my sister, had made so adding another thing to that list wasn't the brightest idea.

"Uh, M-Milord, is there something the matter?" the girl asked, noticing that I was staring at her.

I replied, "No, nothing at all. I was just...thinking..."

"I see..." she trailed off. "You know, you shouldn't be worrying about finding them."

I glanced at her for a moment, confusion no-doubt spread across my features. "How did you know what I was thinking?" I questioned.

Rolling her eyes, she explained, "Geoffrey Delbray! I've known you since we were little! I know you almost as well as your sister or the queen...of course I could tell what you were thinking, silly!" She laughed. "I also know that you'll get justice for your sister...you always do," she whispered.

I gave her a puzzled glance. "I do?"

"Yeah... Ludveck and the rebellion, the old Royal Knights captain that always gave her a hard time, you know...times like that..." she mumbled.

I nodded my head. "Well, Afton, I certainly hope you're right...I couldn't bear to see Lucia suffer any more than she already has..." I muttered, glancing down at my shoes.

As I stared at my boots I heard the sound of a chair being pushed in, its wooden legs scraping against the stone floor. This was followed by the sound of footsteps nearing me, a click-clack of high heels upon the same floor that only moments ago produced a different, but nonetheless unpleasant to my ears, sound. I then felt Afton's hand being placed on my shoulder.

I glanced up at her smiling face as she reassured me. "Trust me, you'll find all four of them, and then some peace and normality can finally be given back to Lucia. You don't have anything to worry about."

--

Later I walked the halls of Daein Castle alone, attempting to find my way back to my room. _Geoffrey, you've been here for days and still you can't remember the way to your room?_ I mentally scolded myself while turning to the right and walking down yet another hallway. _No, this isn't it either!_ I sighed in frustration.

When that passageway came to an end, I stopped and looked around for a moment, debating on which way I should go. I surveyed both corridors before deciding to turn to the left. Once I had, I was met by a dimly lit passage, which I recognized as the hall leading to the king and queen's chambers.

Multiple guards looked up at me as I entered, their faces alert and their weapons ready. I nodded to the first and swiftly turned around and headed in the other direction. _That's not going to look suspicious at all... By all means the brightest thing to do when you accidentally stumble upon the hall that the rulers' chamber is off of, you should just walk away quickly! What was I thinking?_

Upon hearing a strange noise, something in between a footstep and glass breaking, I observed my surrounding area. Lanterns were lit up and down the hallway, their flames emitting a yellowish-orange light. The brick walls themselves were patched in places and in need of repair. At the end of the hall, a lone window was left open, its curtains now blowing in the breeze. I turned my gaze to the portrait surrounded by two torches that produced a reddish glow on the wall to my right. _Lady Helena,_ I mused as I examined the face of the former-queen.

As I stood there, I suddenly heard a creaking of shutters before--_Bam!_--the window slammed shut. I glanced around a second before bolting off in the direction of the exit. Right before I made it there, however, the two doors leading back to the hallway that branched into this and the hallway leading to the queen and king's chambers slammed shut, a knife lodged in the wood of the left.

I spun back around, searching for my lance, but it had been swiped from my side. _Looks like I'll have to use only my bare hands,_ I groaned as I raised my hands in a defensive position. _But whoever this is won't be getting away without a fight. The new king of Crimea is going to have to teach them a lesson they'll _never_ forget..._

_--_

_A/N: Yes, I'm cutting it off there. I know, I'm a terrible person (according to my cousin anyway), but *shrugs* I don't really care. Anyway, next up is Lacey's chapter._


	13. Chapter Twelve: Lacey, Part V

**Never Let You Down**

**Chapter Twelve: Lacey, Part V**

**--**

_The events of the other night still burned brightly in my mind. The two important books I had found in Soren's office, his anger with me, the visit of the Fireman, and what had happened afterward all shocked me. Soren had left early the next morning, his pleading wife crying into his robes and begging him not to leave her. I almost felt sorry for her...I didn't know why he could just ignore her like that. My pity made me realize that the reason she may be so harsh is the treatment she's been given. He just left her all alone..._

_After his departure, things took a turn for the worst. Lady Lucia once again locked herself up in her room, refusing all visitors--with the exception of the seamstress and her husband. Soren had left Jonathan to help his wife while he was gone, but it now seemed as if the butler was doing all the work. Either he or his wife would take the countess the stacks of papers that arrived on a daily basis early in the morning, and then the other would pick up the finished work at the end of the day. Jonathan himself oversaw the housekeeping, the servants, the landscaping, the cooking, and made sure Aslyn and Karenna were taken care of and given lessons each day._

_The girls themselves had very little change in their daily routine. Kym arrived in the morning to teach them their lessons, they finished around lunchtime, after eating, the youngest would go off to play and swordfight, while the elder one would study or go to town. Their normal routine was thanks to Charlotte, whom had decided that it was best if the girls' schedule didn't change too much, as she believed it wouldn't be good for them, with all the crazy thing going on nowadays. The girls seemed to take little notice of the absence of their sister and brother-in-law, though I'm sure they were used to that by now. After all, they barely knew Soren, and, from what I could gather, Lucia had been gone most of their lives--with the two wars, her trips here and there, the brief period she was in the Grann Desert, the events afterward, and so on._

_As for the other workers, I knew very little. I hadn't seen Anna lately, as Jonathan kept me away from her to the best of his ability. Tony was his usual, quiet self. Ashly constantly rambled on about her little sister doing work for the king of Crimea or something like that. Chelsie was always busy cleaning. Jonathan was busy doing everything and keeping me away from his wife._

_Oddly enough, I'd actually been spending most of my time with Charlotte, of all people! To tell the truth, she wasn't as bad as I'd once believed. We'd normally chat while Kym was there giving the girls their lessons. The usual for us was sitting out on the patio sipping tea and telling stories. I had learned much of Charlotte's life that I never could have imagined--she had a seven-year-old daughter who was occasionally a playmate of Aslyn's, she was originally from Begnion, and she loved horses with a passion. I hadn't expected anything of the sort from her._

_Tony also hired another assistant chef the other day.--though he still has Ashly, who doesn't do much of anything, but Lucia refuses to have her fired. Anyway, I believe the new employee's name is Alexander, though I haven't met him directly yet. Charlotte says he's really nice, and she said that Karenna is really fond of him. Whether that's true or not, I haven't discovered yet--though I do intend to._

_Well, I suppose I should get back to my studies and all that just in case Soren decides to come back randomly and ask for me to turn in the assignment I haven't even started on yet..._

_Yours always,_

_Lacey_

_--_

I quickly slammed my old journal shut and slid it across the even older wooden desk of Castle Delbray's incredibly old library. Sighing, I grabbed the two tomes that were previously stacked on the corner of the desk. One of those two was the troublesome tome that was known widely by the name of _Blizzard_; the other, a simple translation book I pulled from the others in that third row, top shelf bookcase used to store the modern tongue-ancient tongue and ancient tongue-modern tongue translation books.

I quickly scanned the pages of _Blizzard_, looking for the place where I'd left off. As I did so, I was forced to stop on the third page and stare at my bookmark. Carefully picking it up between my fingers, I held it to the light and allowed the beams to reflect off the bold colors of the portrait. Whoever painted this did an excellent job, with its beautifully bright colors and--

Before I could even finish that thought, I remembered the book I had seen in Soren's office. _He told me to ask him anything, didn't he? Well, what am I to do if he's not here? I'm sure he won't mind..._ I mused to myself. _He couldn't mind, could he?_

_--_

Less than fifteen minutes later, I was making my way down the basement steps. As I stepped into the dungeon, I glanced around, looking for a guard. Seeing none, I proceeded down the hallway towards Soren's last-cell office.

I reached the door and sighed in frustration. Why hadn't I thought that he would lock it when he was away? _Well, he must have a key around here somewhere..._ I thought.

I searched along the walls outside the cells and inside the other cells themselves for awhile, to no avail. As I entered the last cell on the left of the dungeon, the very cell directly across from my instructor's office, I felt a stone move under my right foot. Carefully, I bent down near the spot and pulled the rock away, revealing a small wooden box. The light tan wood of the container had been painted over in places with deep violet splotches that looked very childish and unprofessional to me.

I removed the lid and sat it on the floor next to me. Inside the box I found a key--a tiny silver key with various notches on one side--and I smiled to myself. _Lucky._

As I placed the box down on the ground and stood up, the key in my hand, a gust of wind suddenly blew my robes around fiercely. I turned around to find a man standing there, _Elwind_ tome in hand.

"To steal that item 'twouldn't a good idea be," he stated with a flourish of his emerald-green cape. Judging by the odd fashion in which he was dressed, the difficult-to-understand manner of his speech, and his overall presence, this was the man Anna had mentioned in her journal entry.

"Steal it? I didn't intend to steal it!" I laughed. "You must be Count Bastian, right? I'm Lacey, Master Soren's new student. Pleasure to meet you, Milord," I said, curtsying slightly.

"Ah, tahaha! What proof have you of this claim? Do know I that the count took in a student, but do you think me a fool? To break into Soren's office isn't something a student would do!" he exclaimed.

"I wasn't going to break in," I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "He told me that if I finished the assignment he gave me, I could use the key to get the next one off of his next," I lied.

"An assignment, you say? 'Tis a likely story, though why act did you like you hadn't a clue where the key was?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow.

I chuckled. "He wasn't able to tell me _where_ the key was, as there were others around, Milord. I understand if you don't have the _authority_ to let me into the office, but I'm sure that Miss Lucia would--"

"Isn't to be bothered the lady is with such trivial matters," he scolded me. "Hope I do that know this you would."

"Of course I know that! This isn't serious enough to be any of her concern, but if you're going to deny me of my assignment, which Lord Soren directly granted to me, then I think it is her affair, being his wife and all," I bit back.

He sighed, "Retrieve the assignment you may, but take long do not. Find what you need quickly, or else escort you I will to the lady."

"Of course, that's all I wanted to do!" I exclaimed, continuing my lie.

He watched me with intent eyes as I took the key to the barred door and inserted it into its rightful spot, the keyhole. I pushed the door aside and stepped inside, looking back at the man pretending not to watch me. I rolled my eyes and turned back around as I made my way to Soren's desk.

I uncovered the book I was looking for from a stack of papers scattered across the desktop. As I picked the book up in my arms, I noticed the book of fairytales directly under it. _Hm, he must have been looking at that before he left._ Quickly, I grabbed that too, and headed back out of the cell.

As I passed Count Bastian, I handed him the key and he glanced at me suspiciously. "Is all you need that?"

"Yes, thank you for allowing me to get it, Milord," I managed, biting my tongue to keep from saying anything else. Luckily for me, he never questioned the books in my hand--in fact, I'm pretty sure he never even looked at them, or it was possible that he didn't know what they were. _Now the real fun begins._

--

I set the books down on the desk in the farthest corner of the Delbray library, and took a seat, my back facing the door. I pushed the fairytale book to the edge of the desk for later. Glancing at the black cover of the other tome for a moment, I allowed myself to run my fingers along the lines of the letters of silver on the front. _Delbray Family History_, it read. This was the book that would hopefully answer all of my questions.

Once my anxiousness got the better of me, I opened it and flipped through the first few pages, all of which contained names that dated back hundreds of years, to when Delbray was first founded. Glancing at these entries, I was able to comprehend the general set-up of the book. Each entry listed the ruler's birth name, spouse(s) and children, as well as age at death and predecessor and successor to the territory's rule.

After scanning nearly fifteen pages, I found the first entry of interest.

_**Amuary Taylor Delbray. Married Amalia Kathryn Arbor, second in line to the dukedom's rule. Wife bore four children: Lucia Faith, Geoffrey Shane, Karenna Madeline, and Aslyn Nicole. Preceded by uncle, Kaelan Anton. Succeeded by eldest daughter, Lucia Faith, after the count's death at age forty-two.**_

With this entry past, I was finally to the information I had wanted to see. A part of Lucia and Soren's past would be revealed to me, no matter how small the actual fact was. I held my breath as I glanced at the entry.

_**Lucia Faith Delbray. Married Soren, a commoner of no noble rank whatsoever. Relinquished rule to H.R.H. Renning Crimea for a period of nearly five years before regaining control. Bore one child, Kiana Marie, who passed before her fourth birthday. Set successor, younger sister, Karenna Madeline.**_

I sighed. That was it, yet it said it all...or at least nearly all of it.

"I just wish I knew how she died..." I mumbled to myself.

"That's easy. A villainous fiend murdered her for her race," I heard a feminine voice say from the doorway. I whipped around to face Lucia, her blue eyes glaring at me coldly. "Anything else you need to know about my daughter?"

--

_A/N: Finally I was able to write this scene...I've had it all planned out since I started writing this fic. Anyway, hopefully I'll get the next chapter of this up soon, though I sort of doubt it._

_(Also, I already have the majority of the absolute last chapter of this written, but that's still a long way away.)_


	14. Chapter Thirteen: Lacey, Part VI

**Never Let You Down**

**Chapter Thirteen: Lacey, Part VI**

**--**

Thunder crash after thunder crash erupted around the desolate Delbray library. Lightning lit up the sky, clearly illuminating Countess Delbray's cold blue eyes. Her ultramarine orbs cut through me, stabbing through my heart and splattering my blood upon the brick walls enclosing us in this battleground. I stared at her, too afraid to move, too afraid to say anything else that might heighten her anger. She glared at me, her body now resting uneasily against the cool stones of the doorframe.

"Go ahead, Lacey. You shouldn't be afraid of asking me a simple question, should you?" she spat in a tone so near mockery that I felt as if I was in some horrible nightmare of horror. Still, I simply stared at her, unmoving. "Or are you just afraid of the truth about what happened to my daughter?"

My gaze moved back to the book on the desk before me, my eyes brimming with tears. Since I'd come here I had hoped to discover this woman's secret, and ever since I learned of her deceased daughter I had wished to know the causes, the reasons. But now, being faced with the task at hand, being so close to my ultimate goal, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. The words wouldn't escape my tongue, and my throat was too sore from trying to choke back the wave of tears that demanded their life in this world. I couldn't do it...

"Please, don't even try to tell me that you actually can't ask. Am I not approachable enough for you? Because you've surely asked about my situation enough to everyone else, haven't you, my dear?" she said between clenched teeth.

I wiped away a tear that had begun flowing down my cheek, stopping it before it splashed onto the devilish tome that had been my downfall. Moving my hand back towards the book, I closed it slowly, hoping to end my misery. _Hoping_ being the key word there.

"Lacey, Lacey, Lacey," the other woman chuckled. "You aren't just going to allow all of your hard work to go to waste, now are you?" As she said this, she began walking down a row of books to my left. Her high-heeled boots, with their load clicking, marked the passage of time for me. "What would be the whole point of you coming here?" she continued, still walking on the stone floor. Her shoes created a crescendo of noise that seemed to come in shorter intervals in our passage of time while also driving me to the brink of insanity. She repeated, "What would be the point of that?"

"I don't care!" I screamed, jumping up from my chair and slamming it against the desk. "None of it matters!"

This seemed to startled her, as the sounds of death quieted themselves as she turned around to stare at me, a curious expression plastered on her face. "What do you mean?" she asked, bewildered, her eyes seeming to scan me for any possible sign of dishonesty.

I glanced at her softened expression, one of the verge of...compassion, maybe? Yes, if I hadn't known better, I would have said compassion. "It doesn't matter to me anymore," I sighed. "I just...I just wanted to understand why you're always so gloomy and unattached to everything, that's all. I hadn't known that something so...horrible...had happened."

"I don't have a reason to be attached to anything anymore," she snapped, her glare returning as she folded her arms across her chest. "Attachment only makes you...weak, and vulnerable," she whispered, more to herself than to me.

"Milady, not to be disrespectful or anything to that extent, but don't you think that's a little unjustified? I can't say I've ever been in your position or had something so awful happen to me, but don't you think it's a little to rash to say nothing deserves attachment?" I inquired. Receiving nothing save from a colder glare from the swordswoman, I continued, "What of Soren? He lost his child too...you're not alone, you know. You lost your daughter, yes, and that is awful, but it isn't the end of the world. You still have your husband, your brother and Queen Elincia, your sisters...I'm sure any one of them--"

"You don't understand!" she screeched. "None of you do! It's not only Kiana," she sobbed, "but I've lost everything that is dear to me. After my father passed, I was thrown into this position, my freedom simply stripped away from me. I couldn't marry the man I loved, and least not to be accepted, even by my own brother! When we learned of my pregnancy, I was forced to leave behind everything I knew to go to some desert with a wartime friend of Soren's. Then I lost Soren during the massacre...Anna and Jonathan too. I was alone in an unfamiliar wasteland trying to care for my Branded three-year-old daughter who was a wanted 'criminal'. When she was killed...I lost everything."

"You _didn't _lose everything!" I exclaimed, amazed at how clueless she seemed to be in the matter, when in reality I was the clueless one. "You have _everything_ I've ever wanted! A loving family, people that care about you, a nice home, money, and most importantly, a husband that actually _understands_! I'd kill to have someone half as good as Soren!"

"...And then there was Caelan..." she mumbled, apparently oblivious of every word I had just spoken. I glanced at her stare fixed off into the distance. At the time I had been wondering if she was staring at an object across the room or remembering something, though I later settled for the latter. Whether that was the case or not, I still can't be certain, but I do remember her appearance. Her eyes were fixed behind me, the azure orbs so many women envied now filling with tears. Her bottom lip quivered slightly as she dug her nails into the skin of her palms. Her whole body trembled as a small amount of blood seeped onto her fingers.

"Lucia?" I gasped as I sprinted over to where she stood. Her eyes darted around as if looking for a place to run, but the rest of her body didn't respond. "Oh, Lucia..." I took her hands and prevented her fingernails from causing any more damage.

"I'm fine," she hissed, trying to pull away from me.

"You obviously aren't," I stated, placing a hand to her forehead. Surprisingly, it wasn't very warm at all.

"I'm fine," she reiterated, pushing my hands away. "B-but Caelan...he didn't deserve to...to die..." she wept, whispering the last word.

"Kaelan...your great-uncle?" I questioned, unsure of exactly where this conversation was going. From what I knew of Crimean history, her father's uncle had died peacefully at quite an old age. He was incredibly kind, yes, but he wasn't a young man anymore. She shouldn't have been this upset by his death...she should have known that it was bound to happen sometime or later, right?

She turned back around and resumed her walk along the wall, scanning the shelves of the many bookcases and seemingly ignoring my question. I shook my head and walked back to the desk, taking a seat. Opening up to the page I left off on in my spell book, I read in silence until her voice interrupted me.

"Here," she offered, bringing a book bound in a soft blue cloth over to me. "You can read this, and then maybe..._maybe_ be can understand half of my pain."

I glanced at her for a moment before accepting the book. As I opened it to the first page and began to read, I wished I had never gotten involved in any of this. I wish I had never learned of a lonely noblewoman's secret that she had been forced to keep buried in her soul. The secret that she wanted so badly to be let known, but that she knew could never be told to anyone very close to her. Put simply, I was filled with a regret that burned in my soul for the weeks to come, and eventually, for the rest of my life.

--

_A/N: Hm, not quite the reaction we expected from Lucia, I bet. Anyway, before I wrap this up, I'd like to thank the last chapter's reviewers: Chef Colette, FreelancerSealBoy (err, now TheFreelancerSeal), and Eienias20. Your support means a ton to me...and now I'll proceed to hit my head against a wall while learning the Latin alphabet!_

_(And by the way, next up is Geoffrey's chapter, which I'm sure a _certain person_ will enjoy.)_


	15. Chapter Fourteen: Geoffrey, Part III

**Never Let You Down**

**Chapter Fourteen: Geoffrey, Part III**

**--**

_**A/N:** Thanks to all of the last chapter's reviewers: **TheFreelancerSeal**, **Eienias20**, **Chef** **Colette**, and **NewPaladin**. Now, I believe we last left Geoffrey in a very dark hallway about to face--eh, you'll find out. ;)_

_--_

"W-Who's there?" Geoffrey's voice cracked slightly as his eyes attempted to scan the dimly lit hallway in front of him. _No, Geoffrey, don't show them any fear,_ he mentally scolded himself. _You can take whoever this is. You have to...for Lucia...and for the memory of her child...ren._

"Hm, it's not like you to show any fear, _Milord_," a voice spat venomously from somewhere down the hallway. "Hiding something, are we?"

"Hiding something...why would I be hiding something?" he laughed nervously. "Wait a second... Why should I tell you anything? I don't even know who you are!"

"Can't tell voices very well, can you?" Chuckles erupted from the other man, followed by the rustling sound of movement. Geoffrey's eyes dashed back and forth, trying to spot some disruption in the ghostly blanket that currently enveloped him. "Can't see me either, I take it?"

"Look, I don't know who you are or what you want, but do know that I'm not just going to let you kill me. If you ask me, you should just give up now," the Crimean king suggested, his eyes still intently taking in his surroundings.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you? Well, I'll have you know that I'm not just going to let you murder Micaiah," the voice informed him to the king's shock.

"M-Murder her?" he stuttered, shaking his head. "What would give you that--Wait a second..." _Micaiah...none of her ordinary subjects would have such familiarity with the queen. That could only mean..._

_--_

"I need to speak with a King Geoffrey of Crimea," a young blonde woman stated as she approached the table where Afton was creating that day's activity log report.

The brunette girl looked up from her paper, a puzzled expression on her face. She studied the other woman closely. She wore a long flowing black gown that suggested she was of one of Daein's noble classes. This suspicion was supported by the large diamond pendant resting around her neck. Something about her seemed familiar, though the younger woman couldn't quite place what it was. "It's quite late in the night to be looking for the king, don't you think?" she laughed and continued, "I'll find him for you though."

The blonde nodded and watched as the other girl got up and left the room, leaving the booklet she was writing in unattended on the desk. The suspected noble glanced at the book a moment before looking to see if anyone was within range. When she was certain that no one could see her, she moved closer to the table and began scanning the pages of the report.

"So that's what they're doing here, eh? Good luck with all your plans, Lord Geoffrey," she chuckled.

--

"..._Sothe_?" Geoffrey uttered, half in disbelief. Suddenly, one of the torches from the left side of the wall was removed and used to light various other torches along both sides on the hallway. When they had all been lit, their orange glow illuminated the grinning face of the king's aggressor.

The emerald-haired thief chuckled slightly. "Okay, so you're smarter than I gave you credit for, but that doesn't mean you can get your way out of this. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I will not allow you to harm Micaiah."

"Sothe, I've already told you that I'm not here to harm Micaiah...or Ike, for that matter," the king explained to the Whisper standing opposite him. "I take it you noticed me running from the direction of their chambers, correct?" After the other man had nodded, Geoffrey continued, "Well, I had simply lost my way then. I had no intentions of murdering the king or queen."

"You expect me to believe that?" Sothe laughed, shaking his head. "Look, I'm not one for small talk, and you're wasting my time. Answer some questions for me, and I'll spare your life. Why are you even here in Daein?" the bodyguard of Queen Micaiah asked flatly.

Geoffrey sighed, "I suppose you know of what happened in the Grann, correct?"

"I've heard the tale...it's quite unfortunate, but what of it?"

"I'm here in behalf of Lucia and Soren. I plan to...to avenge their daughter's death. I had hoped that Lady Micaiah and Lord Ike would know something of her murderers' whereabouts, but that doesn't seem to be the case," the knight admitted, running a hand through his blue locks. "I'll be out of here as soon as I find a lead on one of them."

Sothe nodded, "I understand. This isn't much, but a few of the townspeople have mentioned spotting Duke Sella's daughter, Julianne, in the markets of Nevassa."

"I see; I'll have to try my luck there in the morning. Thank you for the information," the king sighed.

The other man nodded in reply and swiftly flung the doors of the hallway open. Taking the action as a message for him to leave, Geoffrey turned around and slowly walked out of the passageway. Before he made it very far, however, Sothe's voice called to him.

"Oh, and King Geoffrey, I forgot to congratulate you," he half-yelled. When the azure haired man turned back to face him, a puzzled look on his face suggested that he had no idea what the thief was talking about. Sighing, Sothe explained, "I heard that you're going to be a father soon."

"Ah, yes...how would you know of that?" the noble queried, staring at the Whisper suspiciously.

The moss-haired lad informed him, "Well, let's just say that Lucia isn't the only one bright enough to set up a spy network."

"I see..." the king mumbled before turning away from the man once again and making it down the _correct_ hallway this time.

--

Geoffrey fumbled around in his pocket for his room key awhile before he successfully located it. Pulling it out, he quickly placed it in the slot on the doorknob. Once turned, an audible _click_ resounded off the palace walls. With a sigh, the man stepped inside and placed the key on a table to the right of the door.

He walked the long corridor leading to his private sleeping chambers, removing the cloak from his shoulders and throwing it aside. With a sigh, he sprawled out on the bed, too tired to do much more. Being here in Daein, away from his wife, did him little good, but it was a sacrifice he was willing to make for his sister.

_Lucia, _he thought_, I've let you down too many times in the past. I should have protected you our whole lives, but it seems that I was only too caught up in what _I_ wanted to realize what you cared about. Had I known that Soren was such a decent husband--a great husband, even--I never would have objected to your marriage. Had I known that by not accepting your husband I would be putting your life in danger, I never would have been so cruel. If I had known that your daughter would die because I gave you no where else to turn than a cruel, bitter desert, that your second child wouldn't have lived, I would not have pushed you away. You, my dear sister, have had so much pain at my hands, and I cannot bear to think about it all now. I can't take your pain away, but I can surely punish those who have harmed you._

With another sigh, the man buried his head in his hands. The more he thought it over, the more he began to realize that he could never make up for all the things that had happened to Lucia's family. He had, in his own mind, failed her miserably. Worse, he never even _tried_ until now to help her. He had ignored her pleas for help when she had reached out to him. When he received that letter he had tossed it aside, ignoring her cries for help.

Clearly, he remembered the note's contents and everything about it. It had been months ago that he had received it from a Branded messenger his sister had sent. With a look of scorn he had snatched it from the man, ripping open the envelope and unfolding the paper within. His eyes were met by her relatively perfect handwriting and frantic plea.

--

_My dearest brother,_

_I realize that it is not exactly proper to never send word to you until I'm in need of your services. However, I am too desperate right now to send pleasantries first. I have reason to believe that there will soon be an attempt on Soren's life, and I'm afraid that I cannot protect him on my own. Surely you understand the situation, so now I must beg of you to please save my husband. If you so choose, my messenger will lead you to our home. Please, Geoffrey, as your sister, I am counting on you to help me._

_~Your Lucia._

_--_

Recalling the tear-streaked paper of this note hurt him more than the contents themselves. Her pain and despair illuminated from this letter she had sent, speaking of the event that would later become known as the Branded Massacre, though neither of them knew at the time how serious and deadly the matter would be. Still, Geoffrey had refused her request. Worse, he had given the messenger his own note, briefly stating to his sister that she should merely allow her husband to die for the sin he had committed--unrightfully marrying the general's sister and destroying both of their lives.

_I had no place to say such a thing to her,_ he admitted bitterly. _I only added to the grief of my own flesh-and-blood. _The newly-discovered fact that she had just recently lost her baby only a mere few months before the note was received only made the man feel worse. To learn later that she had lost both children, one of whom partially due to his ignorance, made him feel as if he should not be allowed to smile again in his lifetime.

_To think, she doesn't even blame you,_ his voice taunted him in his head. _She still loves you even after you destroyed her._

--

_"Lucia, I'm sorry for all that I've done," her brother whispered to her when they found themselves alone in her bedchambers in Castle Delbray. On that particular night, Elincia had remained at the palace, and Soren retreated to his office after supper._

_His sister stared at him dumbly and laughed, "And what is it that you've done, my brother?"_

_He cocked his head to the side and stared at her in disbelief as she sat down upon her bed. He took a seat next to her and wrapped one arm around her shoulders. "Everything that happened...to Kiana..." he muttered, instantly regretting bringing that topic up._

_Lucia sprang from the bed and walked briskly across the room, not wanting to face him. "I don't blame you for that," she said in a lowered voice. "If anything, I blame myself for not protecting her," she admitted softly._

_"Lucia, you did everything in your power to protect her," the woman's brother said, trying to sound reassuring._

_"How would you know?" the countess snapped bitterly. "You didn't know anything about her or what she went through because of me."_

_Geoffrey stood and walked up behind her, resting his hands on her shoulders. "You are not to blame for what happened. If anyone close to Kiana is to blame, it is Soren."_

_His sister spun around and glared at him with cold, blue eyes. "How dare you still insist on insulting my husband in his own home! He was the best father a child could ever ask for," she declared. "To think, I thought maybe you would change...that possibly one good thing could come from that dreadful massacre, but I suppose I overestimated your love for me," she stated fiercely._

_"Lucia, I do love you. It's Soren that I can't stand," her brother insisted, taking her hands in his._

_She pushed him away and took three steps backward. "Geoffrey, just go," she whispered, her eyes fixed on the ground._

_"L-Lucia..." he stuttered._

_"Go..." she ordered, tears rolling down her face. Her brother kissed her gently on the forehead before complying to her demands._

_--_

It wasn't until after that moment that Geoffrey had honestly recognized all of his older sister's pain. Never before had he seen her express such vivid emotion, nor had he known her to be so bitter towards him. He could think of nothing he had done before that ever made her so angry.

From that point on, he came to terms with the fact that he would have to get along with Soren to remain in his sister's life. No longer could he insult the man or threaten his life, lest he risk ruining his relationship with his sibling and forcing her to sever all ties with him.

--

Another few minutes passed in silence as the newly-crowned king of Crimea sat in his temporary room, thinking in the dark. As he found himself drifting to sleep, a loud, frantic knocking sounded from the other side of the door. Springing to his feet, he rushed to greet whomever was outside.

--

Throwing the door open, his gaze met that of his personal advisor. A worried look was plastered on her face as she nervously fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve.

"Afton?" he asked in a form of disbelief, wondering why the girl would call on him at such a late hour.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Your Highness, but there's a woman downstairs waiting to speak with you," she panted, nearly out of breath.

"It's late...won't you tell her that I'll see her in the morning?" Geoffrey suggested, prepared to crawl back into bed.

It was what the woman blurted out next, however, that changed his mind: "I...I think it's..._her._"

--

_**A/N:** __Elincia being pregnant probably seems really random thrown in at this point, but it was originally set to be mentioned in the chapter where Maks and Dmitry were babysitting Karenna and Aslyn. I just ended up deleting the scene before I published that chapter._

_Also, as you probably noticed, I decided to go with third-person point of view rather than first for this chapter...don't ask why. Oh, and _sella_ is Latin for chair, but it's apparently on the map of Daein (yes, I felt the need to point out a random fact there)._


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Lacey, Part VII

**Never Let You Down**

**Chapter Fifteen: Lacey, Part VII**

**--**

_**A/N: **__Thank you once again to all my reviewers...especially all the ones from the last chapter--__**NewPaladin**__, __**Eienias20**__, __**Rast8a**__, and __**TheFreelancerSeal**__. And now, we'll learn one of Lucia's many secrets. I know you're all excited._

_--_

Regret. It was that simple; it summed up all of my feelings in a single word. I felt so many emotions--pain, anger, sadness, compassion--after glancing at the blue book the countess had handed me, but none of those feelings were as great as the sense of regret I felt. When I had showed up here in Delbray, I had no intention of learning little else than magic. I hadn't wanted to know any of my instructor's family secrets. But now, now I was afraid that I knew a little too much. I stared at the beautifully written words on this page, dazed and confused, and not sure of exactly what their meaning was.

_"A week ago from today I gave birth to my second child, the son Soren had so badly wanted. We named him Caelan Gawain Delbray in honor of the man that had helped my husband so many years ago. He has the deep green hair and brown eyes of my mother...he's simply beautiful. Kiana loves him to death, and so do Soren and I. He's wonderful, and now I feel as though our life is complete."_

This note should have brought joy to anyone that read it, but the bloodstains in the upper right-hand corner signified a deeper meaning.

I stared up at Lucia, tears forming in both of our eyes. I sensed that those settled in her eyes were the representation of severe anger and pain. Mine...I couldn't describe them. I hadn't the slightest clue why this new sense of pity had brought these tears to my eyes; I hadn't yet discovered the secret--only a mere fragment of this past incident had thus been revealed to me.

In a soft whisper, Lucia released the words which I had slightly suspected, but in no way did I want to hear them. "That was part of a note that was to be sent to Duke Renning," she explained. "However, shortly after writing it, my son was...my little boy was murdered."

I stared at her in shock. Never in my life had I expected to learn about Kiana, the first of Soren and Lucia's children to perish. Now to discover that their son had received a similar fate...it was nearly too unreal to be true. I considered pinching myself at that moment to see if this was in fact some weird and twisted dream, but the seriousness of Lucia's tone as she continued her story advised me against this.

"Months before I gave birth to Caelan, I had allowed what I believed to be a homeless man to live with us in the Grann Desert. Soren and Jonathan had both advised me against such a thing, but I took pity on the man, and Kiana seemed to like him, so I didn't listen to them. Soren was typically gone for weeks at a time anyway, so I didn't see the harm in it," she admitted quietly. "He seemed nice enough, but perhaps I would have noticed his treacherous ways had I not been so wrapped up in caring for Kiana and worrying about my pregnancy. I thought that having someone around to help with the housework would be a good thing, but I didn't really think it through.

"Soren was supposed to travel with Stefan to visit Ike in Daein the day after Caelan was born, but he delayed the trip for a week to spend time with all of us. Once he left, Anna was taking care of Kiana for most of the day, and Jonathan helped out around the house. The man was often gone for long periods during the day...I didn't know what for at the time. The day before Caelan was murdered, he completely disappeared without a word.

"The next night, he showed up after Anna had left. Kiana was already in bed, and Caelan had been sleeping peacefully for an hour. I sat there writing the letter when he burst in, an axe in his hand. He shoved me to the floor and screamed something about Brandeds being atrocities, and then I heard Caelan crying. He had picked my baby up and was carrying him towards me. He placed one of his feet on my back so I couldn't move--honestly, though, I was too weak at the time to do much. He set Caelan on the floor and...and he...he just killed him," she whispered this last part, by now sobbing quietly.

"I was too powerless to do anything, but he was intent on murdering both of my children."

"Both of them? But Kiana survived, didn't she?" I asked dumbly. "How did...?"

"Anna," she answered in a single word. My puzzled expression caused her to further elaborate. "She must have heard Caelan crying and rushed in fully transformed. If she hadn't clawed the man to death, Kiana would have also died on the spot. It didn't matter much though," the countess admitted, "Chuck got what he wanted in the end anyway."

"You mean...Chuck sent that man?" I queried, wondering why any man would want to kill two innocent children.

"Yes," she replied, shaking her head sadly. "I suppose he knew that I would feel sympathy for a homeless man and take him in...just as Soren was taken in by Ike's family."

"Soren...must have been devastated," I commented. Realizing the tastelessness of the words, I added, "Not saying that it was any more pleasant for you, but you mentioned that he had so badly wanted a son."

Lucia nodded and laughed bitterly. "He was devastated all right. So much so that when he arrived home, he left us for over a month."

"W-Why would Soren--" I was cut off by the sound of the library doors being viciously flung closed. Looking up, my gaze met the cold, blue eyes of Jonathan. Behind him stood his wife, a near-terrified look plastered over her face.

"So it isn't enough to try to get information behind milady's back, is it? Now you find the need to confront her yourself?" the man spat bitterly, striding up to me.

Lucia pushed him back a step. "Jonathan, this really isn't necessary. Lacey didn't confront me--if anything, I'm the one that intruded," the countess explained, doing her best to calm the butler.

"Is that so, Milady?" After a nod from his employer, he continued, "Then why is it that your face is streaked with tears? Surely if you were the one to confront her, you wouldn't be in tears."

Lucia shook her head. "It's complicated. Please, don't make it more than it is. We had a minor discussion--nothing important--and I was just headed back to my chambers."

The butler folded his arms across his chest. "If that is the case then, why don't you allow me to escort you to your room?" He smirked at her look of annoyance.

"If that would please you, then by all means be my guest," she mumbled, turning back to face me. With a slight curtsey, she lightly jested, "You must excuse me, my dear Lacey, for it seems that my lordly bodyguard sees it fit to confine me to my bedchambers for the night. I'm sure you understand." Looking as if she had been insulted, Lucia offered Jonathan her arm and added, "Well, my master, if you are ready then."

With a sigh, Jonathan turned to Anna. "Please retrieve your book and meet me back upstairs as soon as possible. As soon as I am done taking care of our _problem_," he paused a moment for dramatic effect and gave Lucia a look of disfavor, "I'll be reunited with you." Lucia feigned being hurt as he led her away.

As soon as her husband had left, Anna ignored all that he said and turned towards me. "You'll have to excuse my husband," she laughed. "He is just very...protective of Lucia. She's sweet girl...he just forgets how strong she can be," the woman explained in a deep Gallian accent I had failed to notice before.

I nodded. "He has good reason," I muttered, the events formerly played out not yet fully sunk into my mind.

With an odd look, she studied me. I hadn't a clue what for, but after a moment she brushed it off. A sigh followed, and she added, "I should probably find what I came for before he gets too worried."

I gave a knowing nod as she proceeded to scan one of the shelves closer to me. I watched for awhile as her finger ran across the titles of the different books, stopping only once in awhile so she could more intently gaze upon the novel before her. After a few moments, my thoughts took over, and I blankly stared at my surroundings.

Lucia's ability to mask her emotions impressed me. Before Jonathan had arrived, tears were decorating her cheeks, but when he questioned her, she was able to adopt a jovial personality that was not her own. I suspected this as the cause of her unknown unhappiness. Somehow, she was able to keep all those emotions bottled up inside of her without anyone detecting her. I wondered if even Soren knew of his wife's misery. Surely he shared a similar pain, but I had reason to believe that he was better able to cope with those feelings. He was used to being secluded and alone, with no one to share his feelings with. I couldn't imagine Lucia being raised in a similar way...not with her brother and close friends always supporting her. She had lost her baby...both of her children in fact, and it was doubtful that she had someone she could truly confide in.

It was at that moment that a certain question made an appearance in my mind. Almost unknowingly, I uttered, "Anna." At the mention of her name, the woman jumped and spun around to face me. She stared at me intently as this question rolled off my tongue. "How did you know to come rushing in when that man was murdering Caelan?"

I watched as the woman's back stiffened, and the expression on her face became tense. Her eyes narrowed as she folded her arms tightly across her chest. "How do you know about that?" she snapped defensively.

"Lucia told me," I explained. "I hadn't meant to upset you...I just don't understand..."

Before my sentence was even finished, she remarked, "None of us understand it. I don't see why you would be so curious about Lucia's life anyway. You barely know her."

"You're right about that," I admitted. "I don't really know her...but I'm trying. I'd like to understand her better. You see," I began to explain, "when I first came to Delbray castle to be Soren's new student, I couldn't stand Lucia. I'd overheard her telling Soren that she didn't want me here--and that if I was going to stay, she wanted me to keep away from her sisters. I didn't understand any of it then, but now that she's told me...I can reason with her concerns. I'm deeply sorry for all she's been through, and I'd just really like to help her in any way possible...to make up for how I treated her before, you know?"

Anna nodded. "I understand completely, but I just don't think there's anything you can do."

I stared at her in disbelief. "Why not?" I asked stubbornly.

"Lucia's a woman that...likely won't accept your help. You can't help someone if they don't want you to, and I can't see her letting you," the laguz admitted, twirling a lock of her vermillion hair around her finger. "To be truthful, I don't know if anyone could help her; she's been through so much. Jon and I try...lots of people try...but we can't help her unless she allows it and embraces our help. I don't really think she wants to open up to people, aside from Soren and maybe Geoffrey, but they don't really ever listen."

"But she opened up to me tonight...she told me of what happened in the Grann Desert...or at least some of the story. Maybe she's ready to let someone help her!" I exclaimed, various emotions racing forward through my head. A part of me felt excited that I may be the one to decode all of Lucia's secrets. Another part felt sick at the former thought. I was terrified, overwhelmed, jittery, and nervous all at the same time. The largest part of me, though, was...unsure of what to think.

"That she did," Anna commented, "but maybe she just lost control. Lucia has never wanted anyone to feel sorry for her after all this...I can't see her allowing you to feel that way. I don't think she would ever risk someone else's happiness by pouring out her troubles to them."

I knew that the other woman's words were true; if there was one thing Lucia shared with her father more than anything else, it was her hatred of feeling powerless and weak. In a time that crying and feeling sorry for yourself in front of others meant showing weakness, I knew that Lucia would not openly risk that. But if I could show her that she had no reason to feel that way, then maybe...maybe that would change things.

"Still, if you mean to help Lucia, I would comply with any demands you have of me," Anna continued. "Her family has always been so kind to me since I moved here from Gallia...I hate seeing her like this."

"There is only one thing I can think of that I would have you do," I told the woman. "I need your account of what happened the night that...Caelan was murdered."

The woman was silent for what seemed like ages, the consequences of this task obviously floating about in her mind. "You know that isn't something I'm supposed to do," she said after awhile.

"I know," I replied, "but it's something I need to know in order to help Lucia cope with her feelings."

With an exasperated sigh, the woman declared, "Well, I guess I'd better find a place to start."

--

_**A/N:**__ Finally, I got this chapter done. In the next chapter, Geoffrey will come face to face with his visitor--and maybe someone else he doesn't quite want to see...it all depends on what direction his first meeting takes. Well, until then..._


	17. Chapter Sixteen: Geoffrey, Part IV

**Never Let You Down**

**Chapter Sixteen: Geoffrey, Part IV**

**--**

As soon as Afton had uttered those few simple words, I had immediately rushed down the various flights of stairs leading down to the meeting room of Daein's royal palace. Skipping multiple steps at a time, I often found myself nearly falling to the floor, but I willed myself to go on. There wasn't a way in the world that I would allow Miss Julianne Sella to escape my clutches. Even if the woman downstairs turned out not to be her, at least I would know that it wasn't through such a foolish move as not being quick enough that had allowed her to keep her life once again. My sister had suffered enough already, and there was no way I would allow her to suffer anymore by this woman's hand.

Within moments, I had arrived downstairs to the brick-enclosed space that served as a meeting room for Daein's noble classes. It was in this room that my aide had been preparing our reports when the woman we believed to be the daughter of Daein's Duke Sella had approached her. Now, upon my entrance, the woman was seated in a chair skimming through the reports Afton had been attending to. Once she had heard my approaching footsteps, she looked up to face me with those cold blue eyes.

"King Crimea," she addressed me, a placid expression on her face as she stood up to bow in front of me. "You must excuse the late visit, Milord, but I'm afraid that the matter honestly couldn't wait."

I raised an eyebrow in her direction. "Oh, really?" I inquired. "And exactly what would this matter of grave importance be?" As I finished my query, I felt my hand inching towards the knife that had been strapped to my side as I fled my bedchambers. My fingers wound themselves around the hilt of the weapon as I intently scanned her face for any signs of her planned course of action.

"There's no need for that," she said, gesturing towards the weapon I had tried to conceal. "I don't mean you any harm."

"Ha, I'm sure you don't," I muttered in reply. "If that was an honest response, then my sister's little girl would still be alive. I'm sure you don't even realize the pain you've caused her and Soren," I spat at her in a venomous way.

She shook her head sadly. "No, I don't have any idea of her pain. I have never lost someone so close to me as Kiana was to Lucia, and that is why I am here," she explained carefully, eyeing the hand holding my weapon.

"I'm listening," I told her as she appeared to be searching for some way to tell me of this deed she had carefully planned. "You'd better make it quick, however...I don't have much time for you."

"Of course, Milord," she replied rather quietly. After awhile, she sighed audibly. "I...I'm here to help you. I offer my assistance to you in finding Mark and Shawn. That is all I can promise...Derek is my brother, and no matter how foolish his actions were, he'll always be my brother. I'm sure you can understand that, Your Highness." After I had nodded, she continued, "You may do what you wish with me--kill me, have me tortured, whatever. I don't care; I just don't want anything to happen to my brother."

I stroked my chin in thought, carefully considering her offer. This new dilemma I was faced with may have been more vital and difficult than finding all of the murderers of my niece themselves. Whether or not to trust Julianne was not a matter to be taken lightly. On one hand, she would undoubtedly know of the locations of her companions as well as the disguises they might take on, aliases they might assume, and plans to deceive they might have made. However, she could be putting on this façade as a way to trick me into giving her trust that she would only betray. This woman had already shown me such deceit and betrayal when she had played a hand in stealing my niece off to have her murdered. Though Julianne may have originally resisted to their plans, she was still present when they had taken Kiana's life and written that foul note I found attached to her body. Ultimately, though, it would be more productive to have her where I could keep an eye on her and have her every move watched.

"If you wish to join me in my quest, then by all means be my guest. However," I warned, "there will be certain restrictions enforced upon you. At all times, my guards will be watching you, and any official meetings that are to be held will not be graced by your presence. If there is no betrayal or attempted deceit on your part, your life as well as Derek's will be spared. If you try anything, I will find your brother, and you will both be punished as King Daein and I see fit."

"Fair enough," Julianne admitted. "As long as my brother is safe, that is all I care about. If it means death to Mark and Shawn, then that is something I am willing to sacrifice."

"I see, well--" My comment was cut off by Ike's entrance into the room. He stopped in front of us and gave me an odd look.

"Milord Geoffrey," he said inquisitively, "is the Lady Sella bothering you?"

"No, not at all, Milord Ike," I muttered. "Everything is fine. However, it is quite late; may I inquire why you have been roused at this hour?"

"An important visitor has arrived. Lady Julianne, I suggest that you leave before he comes in if you value your life," the king of Daein warned the woman.

I cocked my head in confusion; why ever would Julianne have to leave due to a visitor to the palace? Surely there were people that did not like her, but none would dare to oppose her in front of myself and my fellow king, would they? No one would be so rash as to do such a foolish thing; no one would so openly murder someone with witnesses around. My initial thought was that being awoken at so early an hour in the morning had caused Ike to utter such an inane thought. This belief was soon shot down when the king's visitor waltzed into the room.

"Ike," the new count of Delbray stated curtly, in an even tone. As soon as his eyes were aware of the woman standing in front of him, Soren pulled an Elfire tome from his cape. "_Julianne_," he muttered through clenched teeth, addressing the murderer of his child, "it looks like I showed up at a perfect time."

--

_**A/N:**__ Ah, it's about time we got to this part. Hm, I think I'll postpone Lacey's next chapter to see how this scene with Soren and Julianne plays out a bit sooner. Should be interesting, my friends, so be watching for the next chapter!_

_Now, to thank reviewers: The last chapter only had three reviewers--__**Eienias20**__, __**NewPaladin**__, and __**TheFreelancerSeal**__. Thanks for all the support, guys!_


	18. Chapter Seventeen: Geoffrey, Part V

**Never Let You Down**

**Chapter Seventeen: Geoffrey, Part V**

**--**

"Soren," I whispered quietly as my sister's husband began silently chanting a spell from the tome he had previously opened at sight of Julianne Sella. I knew that at any moment, his spell would be complete and great, red flames would engulf the duke's daughter and burn her to a crisp. If the woman was to help me with my mission, I could not allow Count Delbray to finish his revengeful deed, even if it was something I believed he rightfully deserved. "Please don't do this, Soren."

His reply to my plea came in the form of the book snapping shut with a sudden intensity and fierceness that I nearly regretted the words that had left my lips. Soren glared at me with those red eyes so alike in intensity as the shutting of the book was; those eyes that were normally nothing more to me than a reminder that my sister had married one with dragon's blood were now piercing my skin in all their passionate fury. Rightful fury this was; rightfully deserved by me this hatred was, I'll admit as well. Though my intentions were just, they did not deserve any reward, and none was given to them.

"You're defending this woman, 'Your Highness?'", he queried, clearly showing his disfavor for the title I now held. His tone displayed an outward feeling of mockery that deeply bothered me, though I would not show such a thing to him. Any disturbances were viewed by him as a weakness a ruler should not bear, I was certain. _Geoffrey,_ I inwardly chided myself,_ what are you thinking? Do not allow yourself to reassume this hatred towards Soren. You have no proof of that thought--you've seen yourself the love he secretly displays to Lucia, the caring attitude he has towards her. You cannot allow your own feelings to once again interfere with their marriage. You cannot allow Lucia to learn of such a thing, for within it she would find a reason to leave once again. You need her, just as she needs you._

Once again regaining my composure, I set to the task of justifying my actions before the man who already had his heart set on disposing of one of the women who had stolen his young daughter's life. "I am not defending her, Milord," I stated, reflecting as much confidence and assertiveness as I could muster under the given circumstances. "I am merely saying that the lady should be given a fair trial to determine how much she knew about the plans of Chuck's men. Once that has been determined, I will assign a punishment to her that I see fit."

"She isn't yours to punish, Geoffrey," Soren spat back. "It wasn't your daughter she harmed; it was neither your life nor Elincia's which was destroyed."

"That is correct, but what you plan to do is considered a felony in both Crimea and Daein, is it not? No matter if your actions are justified, I cannot simply look away and leave you unpunished. The crime could not simply be overlooked because you are married to my sister," I explained to him in the best and simplest way I could find, hoping that it would suffice to make him rethink his course of action.

"Send me to prison, give me a death sentence--I don't care, Geoffrey," the count remarked. "This woman has already shown us her cards by capturing my daughter and having her killed. She killed a mere child--my child, your niece--and I cannot allow it to be punished by your faulty justice system. Your courts would find some discreet way to dismiss this case because it was not the child of two nobles that was murdered; it was the child of a lesser noble who had given up her right to rule and a _Branded_ man. The child was a _Branded_ little girl, not some special human girl of your 'all-superior' race in Crimea. She wasn't this beautiful, amazing little girl who brought them joy as she was to me and Lucia. They didn't know her, and they wouldn't care. Though the council of Crimea has many members that show hatred towards Daein, they would sooner side with the pretty daughter of a noble from said country than what they consider to be a filthy, disgraceful monster to your holy human race!"

"Soren, I understand your concerns, but I would personally see to it that the case was treated fairly. Lucia is my sister, Kiana was my niece; I would never let someone treat a case involving them unfairly. I owe them that much after what I have done..." I admitted, causing the sage to give me another disapproving glance.

"I'd say, Geoffrey, but if you really believe that, then you will allow me to eliminate the problem," he reasoned, gesturing towards Julianne. The woman's eyes darted between me and Soren. Her pleading eyes rested on me, and I could tell that if I did not do something to calm Soren, she was going to take matters into her own hands.

"Soren, please just hear me out. I'm trying to fix this," I explained. "Julianne has willingly agreed to help us find Mark and Shawn so they can also be tried. In exchange for this, I've agreed to give her and her brother their lives."

"Why would you agree to such a thing, Geoffrey?!" the magic-wielder exclaimed, once again readying his tome. "You couldn't possibly let such a murderous fiend loose! Who knows what she would do next--take revenge on Lucia for the deaths of her two friends? You may be willing to sacrifice my wife, your sister, but I would never do such a thing to her."

It was at this point that Julianne decided to speak up. "Milord Soren," the blonde began, "I would never do such a thing. Murdering your daughter was never something I intended. Kiana--"

"Don't you _dare_ say her name," Soren commanded, his glare once again intensifying as he stared at the woman. "You are far too unworthy to even speak of her, you--"

The man was cut off when Ike stepped before the group and placed a hand on Soren's shoulder. "Soren, Geoffrey," the king of Daein and the formerly-mentioned man's closest friend said sternly after keeping silent all this time, "this is getting ridiculous. I'm not just going to stand here while you bicker back and forth in the middle of the night. My wife and children are trying to sleep, and if you get any louder, they probably won't be for long. Let's all just think about Lucia here and call it a night. We'll discuss this issue in the morning when we're all refreshed and have clear minds." After receiving nods of agreement from both me and Soren, the king continued in his typical blunt manner, "Julianne, I'm going to have to ask you to follow my guards to the dungeon for the night until this is all sorted out."

"Of course," the woman replied sadly, as one of the guards who was previously standing on one side of the door stepped forward to take her. The man quickly tied her hands together with the thick rope he was carrying at the moment and led her towards the exit of the room. Those of us left in the room could hear the heavy dungeon door being swung open; footsteps gradually decreased in volume as they descended the stairs, and the other guard shut the door behind the two.

"Now, as for you two, I suggest everyone gets some rest. Soren, I'll have a room prepared for you," Ike stated with a yawn as he made his way toward the door. "No more fighting, you two," he ordered before disappearing from our sight. His footsteps were the only thing heard for quite a few moments before the sound of those, too, ceased.

Left alone in the quiet darkness, Soren and I just stared at one another. In the stillness of the night, I watched him grudgingly slip his tome back into the pocket of his robe. The glimmer of his Brand was caught in the faint light provided by the torches along the wall, serving as another reminder of my past prejudices against the man and one of the reasons I hadn't wanted him to marry my sister. Though I had found Soren to be decent enough of a man, there was no one in the world that I could ever personally view as 'good enough' for my elder sister. Lucia was epitome of perfect in my eyes, and this perfect creature being stolen away from me by any man was too much to handle. I had attempted to [wrongfully] guide her away from Soren by using his race and bluntness as reasons she was so much better than he. Though it was never my intention, these reasons had become a part of me; I hadn't wished it, but I had become some idealistic...racist.

Now, standing before the man who I had hurt so brutally so many times, I felt compelled to say something to him. I knew that some sort of apology was in order. I hadn't a clue what to say, though. I wasn't good with words as Count Bastian was; I wasn't sweet and sensitive to the feelings of others as my wife was; I wasn't beautiful, caring, and loved by others as my sister was. I was simply a knight who married into the royal family.

My inward thoughts were interrupted when Soren finally spoke up. "Your Highness," he said in a flat, uncaring tone, "may I be excused now?"

"Not...Not yet, Soren. There's something I wish to discuss with you further." A sigh from the man followed as he stared at me blankly, waiting for me to continue. I stood there, still not knowing what to say. Here was this man that I had been so cruel to, so intentionally mean and spiteful towards, but I couldn't think of a simply apology for him. As he stood there impatiently waiting, I knew that if I allowed him to exit without at least having attempted an apology, Lucia would be terribly disappointed in me. "Soren," I repeated, still searching for the right words, "I know that we haven't exactly been on good terms in the past; however, I was hoping that we could change all of that. I feel as if our arguments only hurt Lucia more, and I know that that isn't something either of us wants. We both love her and want her to be safe, so that's why I think we could accomplish more together. If we teamed up to catch Kiana's murderers, then I think we would have better success."

_Wrong, Geoffrey. Wrong._ I knew this to be true when I looked at the man's face. That same intense anger had returned to his face, though this time a look of disbelief had shown itself as well. "Geoffrey, what kind of a fool _are_ you?" he asked angrily. "I don't care what it is that you're trying to do," he explained to me. "Do you honestly believe that by bringing these people to justice will take away my wife's pain? I can assure you that any action you take regarding them will only hurt her more by bringing back all of those memories she was forced to endure. You weren't there; you couldn't possibly understand, but I do. Lucia was forced to watch as our little girl cried endlessly throughout the night because some bloody human scum had ripped Kiana's skin off and sewn some foreign tissue onto her forehead! You weren't there to see her broken expression. She was forced to watch our son die, and she still blames herself for it, Geoffrey.

"Don't you think she's been put through enough already? Do you honestly feel the need to punish her further? Why don't you just stay out of our affairs, forget everything you were planning to do, and spend your time trying to help someone that actually _wants_ your assistance? Just be glad that you can have all the things your sister lost and can never regain," he told me in such a tear-jerking manner of pure rage.

I was powerless to stop him as he brushed past me, making his way over to the door. I listened to his near-silent footsteps as he retreated from the room. Though my back was still turned, I was aware of the fact that he had turned around and reopened his mouth to add something else. I expected him to yell at me in another rant, but instead, he sounded heartbroken.

"Take care of your wife and baby," the sage advised me. He then whispered, "Don't let them down like I did with Lucia, Kiana, and Caelan."

--

_**A/N: **__I don't know if I feel sorrier for Soren or Geoffrey after all of this. Hopefully I achieved the passionate intensity I tried to convey with that scene, and if so you can thank Lindsey Buckingham's intense guitar playing in Fleetwood Mac's "I'm So Afraid." Anyway, this will probably be the last update of the night, as I have a research report for PE class that I've been putting off. Also, Patch is trying to unplug my laptop cord...Ah, no! That's the delete button, cat! Anyway, hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and a special thanks to __**NewPaladin**__ for getting a speedy review in! :)_


	19. Chapter Eighteen: Lacey, Part VIII

**Never Let You Down**

**Chapter Eighteen: Lacey, Part VIII**

**--**

_The laguz ran her fingers through her long, ruby hair as she recalled the night she had been forced to take down the man Chuck had sent to murder Caelan and Kiana Delbray. Such a solemn look was present on her face as she remembered her actions from that night. Though she had successfully defeated the man, she had not been swift enough to save Lucia the pain of losing one of her children. Caelan was gone forever; only a mere week after he had entered the world, his image was once again stolen and secluded in an empty void of space._

_"Lucia was sobbing quietly when I walked in," Anna explained in a voice barely reaching a whisper. "Next to her, I spotted Caelan's lifeless body. It was so...awful. That man just stood there, telling Lucia that he was going to kill Kiana while she was sleeping peacefully in the next room. I didn't...I didn't think about it; when he reached for his axe again, I pounced on him. I felt so soulless as I murdered him...I didn't feel as if I was even alive. Jonathan rushed in shortly after and took care of the man's body. He looked at me with such contempt...it wasn't until after he realized what had happened to Caelan that he understood my actions._

"_Lucia was just so...devastated and lost. She didn't know how to explain the situation to Soren or Kiana, let alone anyone else that knew about the baby. She passed it off as a stillbirth to those that hadn't seen him. Stefan, Jonathan, and I were sworn to secrecy...she was far too afraid to see looks of pity from anyone to let them know what had happened."_

_The woman's words hit like ice. It was near-impossible for me to imagine why any man would have such ill-will towards a family he had never met. To kill their child, their baby boy, it was...unthinkable. Lucia and Soren both lived with such pain...they had both suffered so much--all because of one man. I couldn't fathom it._

"_Anna," I said slowly, suddenly remembering a question I had earlier asked the woman, "how did you know that something was wrong?"_

_Her answer was a simple one - one that I should have realized. "I smelled the metal axe...and the blood on it."_

_--_

Now, sitting at this table with Anna and Charlotte, I felt strange knowing what had happened on that fateful night. As I watched Lucia faking a smile as she listened to her guest prattle on, I felt some odd sympathy for her. Before, I viewed her as my enemy - the wife that did not deserve Soren - but now, her actions made more sense to me. I could understand her pain; I felt as if I had lived through it myself, and that feeling was one that consumed my presence.

Some unknown connection bonded me to Lucia as she sat with the queen of Crimea further down the table. I could feel her pain, that stinging, numb feeling of lifelessness, as she raised her fork to her mouth slowly, nodding at Elincia's comments. I did not feel as if I was alive at this moment; I felt as if I was some specter viewing the life of a woman I did not know, but felt so close to. I was vaguely aware of what Charlotte was saying to Anna; I witnessed the moving of Elincia's rosy lips; the shuffle of feet from the kitchen played in my ears, but none of these events mattered. It was as if the countess of Delbray was an actress, asserting her power over me and forcing my eyes to her actions. Every minute detail I could perceive; every lie she told was interpreted in full truth to my ears. Her presence demanded my attention, and no other person or event was as important to my mind as the end of her performance seemed to be.

Her role demanded perfection - her director would settle for no less. Every motion of her hand, every tense move of her body - the very expression on her face...all must be flawless for her façade to remain. For whatever reason, the woman mustn't allow her queen to see through her mask. The soft clinking of forks and the distant plodding of feet were the music that complemented her actions. The swirling symphony of sounds covered her heartbreak and confusion to such an extent that even I was nearly fooled.

She played everyone for a fool, even her own husband. Not a soul even witnessed the struggle to keep up this façade and mask her true feelings. Her act had started long ago - those years in the Grann Desert had been her opening performance. Her audience had changed since then; no longer did she act out her script for those of the Branded colony, but now at her intermission those of the Crimean nobility had entered to witness her falling action. Though the curtains were about to fall, her legacy was not yet over, and all the world would marvel at the swordswoman's final performance.

--

The balcony overlooking the practice grounds of Delbray Castle had become my secluded retreat as of late. It was from this brick enclosure that I escaped the rest of the castle's occupants, silently studying tomes I had found in the library. Long ago I had abandoned my studies regarding anima magic. At this very moment, one of my newest hobbies sat before me. Encrusted on the cover of a shabby, old book cover were large, golden letters spelling out the word _Vermis._ Both covers of the object were stained evenly with a rich, deep violet dye. The words within were messily printed in a manner that suggested the author was being hurried. The thick ink that glued itself to the pages clearly spelled out their incantations.

Silently, I whispered a passage from the book: "_Carpe diem; carpe noctem. Ex nihilo nihil fit; tamen, iacio. Ab initio, annuit coeptis; itaque, incantamentem iacio._" At the mention of these words, a small, purple ball formed in my hand. Various hues of purples and reds swirled around in this weapon the size of a diminutive apple. I sighed in frustration; no matter how many times I tried, I could not manage to harness the _Worm_ spell, so now I mumbled "_evanescere_" under my breath. Within an instant, the result of my first spell slowly dissolved into the abyss of space.

I began to return to the spell book in front of me when a knock sounded at my door. Quickly, I stood up, tucking the book under my arm, and scurried through the curtain that separated my room from the balcony. I stopped to set the tome of Elder magic on the desk near my bed and make myself more presentable, hurriedly running my fingers through my hair and smoothing out my dress, before rushing to open the door. The wooden fixture swung open to reveal the woman who had become the fixation of my interest as of late.

"Milady," I said, bowing respectfully, "please come in." Lucia nodded and walked past me into the room. "To what do I owe this visit?"

"Well," the countess began, sheepishly fingering a lock of her hair as she glanced around my bedchambers, "I wanted to discuss the events of this last past night with you." I nodded at her explanation, urging the woman to continue. "I never...intended for you to learn of Caelan or Kiana," she explained. "I don't exactly know what came over me last night, but I would be grateful to you if you wouldn't mention your findings to anyone. You see, the deaths of our children aren't exactly something Soren and I want others to know of." Once again, she set up her false pretense of a façade. Though I knew the pain of these words resided in her heart, her expression did not change. Her elegant blue eyes did not water, nor did they show any sign of discomfort; her breathing was steady, and her face was emotionless.

"I understand completely, Countess," I informed her. "I hadn't meant to intrude on your personal life with my questions."

"I know that," she assured me. "I just need to make sure that now that you _do_ know, you won't go around advertising it to the rest of the world."

"Oh, I would never do such a thing," I stated honestly.

She nodded. "Thank you." She paused for a moment before gesturing toward the book I had left on my desk. "Is that a book of...Elder magic?" she inquired. "I didn't know that Soren was having you study anything more than Anima."

"He's not exactly...I just found the book in the library and thought it was an interesting concept. I can't say I've really been paying much attention to my actual studies lately, though," I admitted.

Lucia laughed, "I can't say I blame you. I find Elder magic to be far more interesting than that of nature."

I blinked twice in rapid succession. "...You study magic?" I queried, the disbelief I felt showing through in my voice.

"Hm? Oh, no," she said quickly. "I can't say I have any magical talent...Karenna's the one with a knack for that sort of thing. She's tried explaining the ways of dark magic to me, and I must say it was far more interesting than Soren's description of the differences between Fire, Wind, and Thunder magics. Then again, Soren can be _slightly_ tedious."

We both laughed at the affectionate insult she had given her husband, and we both knew that, had the man been there, he would have worn a disapproving glare on his face. "He surely can be boring sometimes, but at least he does know what he's talking about," I added, making an attempt at praising my teacher.

She shrugged. "When it comes to magic, maybe, but he's a lost cause at trying to care for a baby," the countess chuckled. With a pitiful, longing sigh, she added, "He was a good father, though."

"You both seem to have been such excellent parents," I admitted solemnly. "Kiana and Caelan were lucky to have you."

She smiled slightly. "Thank you...I'd certainly like to think we did something right." Glancing outside, she seemed to remember some task she had yet to perform. "I'm sorry to rush like this," she began, "but I'm afraid there's still work to be done. Though Jonathan is determined to complete all of my husband's work while he is away, I don't quite think it would be fair of me to leave it all to him. So, I think I'll 'accidently' finish the paperwork that's piled on his desk."

I chuckled, "Of course. I should probably get back to my studies as well. I don't believe Soren would be very pleased with me if I failed to complete my assignment before he returns."

"Hm, I don't believe he would be very ecstatic with such a prospect. If you need any help, I'm certain Karenna would be willing to lend a hand. If not, I could find a tutor for you until my husband returns."

"Thank you, Milady," I said as I saw her to the door. Once opened, it was revealed that the castle's butler was listening outside. Lady Lucia gave Jonathan a disapproving glance as she waited for an explanation as to why he was guarding the door. "M-Milady," the man bowed, clearly fumbling for words. "I arrived just now to inform you that Anna has completed her work on Karenna's gown."

The woman shook her head sadly. "Sure you did, Jonathan," she said in disbelief. "Correct me if I am wrong, but I do believe you are here to keep an eye on me, no?"

The butler sighed, "Well, that isn't _exactly_ true. Anna _did_ instruct me to tell you that the dress was ready if I happened to see you..."

"Of course," the azure-haired woman stated, brushing past the blue-eyed man and striding toward the steps leading to a lower floor of her castle. Holding onto the railing with her right hand, she turned halfway around and motioned for the dark-haired man to follow her. With a grunt and look of annoyance in my direction, he grudgingly trudged down the hall to follow her.

I watched as he reached her and took our fine actress's arm to lead her to her adoring fans. The grand finale of her woeful tale was rapidly approaching, though neither of us knew such a thing at that moment. In a matter of weeks, the woman's troubles would all be put behind her.

--

_**A/N: **__Finally! Anyway, for some explanations... _Vermis_ means _Worm_ in Latin. The spell Lacey read can be translated to "Seize the day; seize the night. From nothing comes nothing; nevertheless, I cast. From the beginning, he approves our undertakings; and so, I cast the spell." ...It's not supposed to make much sense. Oh, and _evanescere_ means "to disappear." My Latin may be a bit off, but that's the general idea of it. Anyway, here is Lacey's last chapter for quite some time, as we are now moving into Soren's and Geoffrey's parts._


	20. Chapter Nineteen: Soren, Part II

**Never Let You Down**

**Chapter Nineteen: Soren, Part II**

**--**

I flung the door of my temporary bedchambers at Castle Daein open hastily, throwing my Mend staff to the floor. The bulb glowed red before it slammed to the ground, shattering into millions of pieces; the wooden handle clattered aimlessly about the ground until it laid at rest, motionless despite my urge to burn it. I gave a violent push to the door, not looking over my shoulder to realize that it hadn't even closed all the way. My Fire tome was the next thing to be destroyed, loose pages flying about the room as the book collided with the wall. Such carelessness regarding my weapons would have seemed foolish and meaningless to me at any other time, but as I threw my Thunder tome at the bedpost, I was too blinded by my rage to think of such things. My Wind tome fell to the floor beside the broken staff, the dust from its cover filling the air.

I walked past my destruction to a table beside the bed. I sighed as I pulled a cotton-stuffed doll from the inner pockets of my robe, placing it gently on the tabletop. Carefully, I smoothed out the toy's sky blue dress and straightened its violet hair. I propped the object up against the wall, just as my daughter had done at every meal in our home, never parting from her "best friend." My eyes threatened to release tears as they stared at the small red Brand Anna had stitched into the doll's forehead at Kiana's request. I remembered how she had wanted her friend to be more like her, but I fought back the tears. I had always found the doll to be an inane companion of my daughter's, yet never had I forgotten to tuck it into bed with her or sneak it in the pocket of my robes when we were away from home. I laughed, realizing that I still hadn't moved past that habit, as the doll somehow found her way with me yet again. I had unconsciously placed the toy in my robes, but I knew that I would rather have it with me; as the only surviving possession of my late daughter, the doll was like my family, as silly as that is to admit. The doll and a replica of the book of fables I had read to her were my only reminders of my little girl.

A quiet noise from behind me caused me to turn around briskly. On the other side of the room, I spotted a little blue-eyed girl poking her head through the open door. Her dark blue hair fell over a rosy nightgown, leading to bare feet. She stared at me, her large cerulean orbs showing signs of apprehension and worry. I smiled as she reluctantly slipped into my room, walking towards me. I met her near the door, picking her up in my arms and carrying her over the shattered glass that was scattered about the room. "U-Uncle Soren," she cried a bit hesitantly, "what's happened?"

I kissed her forehead as I set her down on the bed - one of the only places that wasn't littered with my destroyed weapons. "Don't worry about it, Carlie," I told her, sitting down on the edge of the bed closest to the table.

She shrugged. "If you say so," she mumbled, looking around the room. Her eyes fell on the doll to my right. "That's Kiana's doll!" she exclaimed as her face lit up, eyes sparkling.

I nodded solemnly. "Yes, it is," I replied. "Do you want to hold her?" The princess of Daein shook her head up and down enthusiastically as I handed her my daughter's doll. I watched as she gingerly held the doll in one hand and then the other. I glanced at her empty right hand, noting that the place where her Brand hand been removed was still tender and sickly. The skin that Chuck had had sewn where the girl's mark had formerly rested had not been fitted to her palm very well, and it was clear that her hand had not healed completely, though it was nearly a year later. _Kiana would have had to go through this same pain_, I reminded myself, somehow finding one reason to find comfort in regarding my three-year-old's death. _Lucia would have suffered at all of her pains...she would have blamed herself every time Kiana cried._ I shook my head, knowing that my wife...my lovely Lucia...wouldn't have been able to take our little girl's weeping - she wouldn't have been able to hold her throughout those nights that followed our capture - all of the sickness and nightmares Kiana would have suffered - without completely breaking down. I knew that she blamed herself for everything that happened, but it was more my fault, in all honesty.

--

_The night of the attack, Lucia and I had been arguing after Kiana had fallen asleep in the room next door. It had been a mere six months after Caelan's murder and only a few months after I had returned to our home. After I had found out that my son had been murdered by the man my wife had allowed to live in our house, I was devastated. I blamed her unjustly and went to live in Daein with Ike and Micaiah. I hadn't returned to my wife and daughter for weeks after the incident. Though I had wished to be with Kiana all that time, I didn't know how I could even look at Lucia after all that had happened..._

_That night we had fought over the man once again after I had brought it up. It was clear to me that she was vulnerable and sensitive about the subject, but my bottled up anger would not allow the matter to pass. I had to blame someone for what had happened, and I certainly wasn't going to use Kiana as my scapegoat; I was oblivious to the fact that I had just as much fault in the incident...that she had suffered just as much as I had - if not more by witnessing his death._

_"Did you even try to save our son?" I spat at her, slamming my fist on the table._

_"Soren," she whispered in disbelief, "of course I did. He was my son, too."_

_I cared nothing for her tears or her hurt expression. I didn't care that our daughter had awoken and was standing in the doorway, holding her doll tightly to her chest. "That he was," I replied curtly. "It only makes me wonder if he was mine."_

_I rubbed my cheek when I had realized that she had slapped me. By the time I had become aware of my surroundings once again, Lucia was bending down to pick up our sobbing daughter. My wife glanced at me with tears in her eyes before moving toward the door. She threw it open against the wind and a chilly breeze seeped into our home. I rushed to the door and intercepted her, fully aware that I wouldn't be able to stop her from leaving. I wrapped my cloak tightly around Kiana's figure, kissing her lightly on her Brand. "Love you, Daddy," my little girl said, a tinge of sadness in her voice._

_Ruffling her hair, I replied, "I love you, too, Honey." My lips brushed Lucia's cheek as I mumbled, "Be careful," to her, knowing very well that she needed to leave - to get away from my cruel comments. Though I wanted her to stay, something prevented me from stopping her. I held the door open long after they had disappeared into the darkness of the night, the cool night air touching my face and sending shivers down my spine._

_--_

_It wasn't even an hour later that the invasion began. My house had been specifically targeted by Chuck's men, and when the door burst open, I was thankful that my wife and daughter weren't there. Two men had rushed in with swords pointed at me; the one grabbed my wrists and led me firmly out into the night. All around me, buildings were up in flames. Heavy smoke and debris filled the air, choking me with every step I was forced to walk. I searched around for familiar faces, but everyone just rushed by me in a blur. The men led me to a station where other prisoners were temporarily being kept, throwing me in a room with Stefan, who was glancing around for a way to escape._

_My fellow Branded stopped his searching momentarily to look me in the eyes, sensing my worry for my family. He placed a firm hand on my shoulder and informing me, "I met them before I was captured. Lucia said she wanted to get Kiana out of here...that she was going to try to find Jonathan and Anna and head for Crimea. She asked me to save you and meet her in Delbray." I nodded, relieved that my wife and daughter were safe, though it would likely be a long time before I would see them again. "Kiana asked me to give this to you," he added, reaching in his pocket and pulling out my daughter's doll. I took the object from him and held it to my chest, not knowing that it would be the last thing I would have to remember Kiana by._

_--_

Presently, I found myself absentmindedly staring at Carlie and she ran her fingers through the doll's hair. "There you go, Iya," the three-year-old daughter of my closest friend said to the doll. "Just like Kiana likes it...I bet she really misses you," the blue-haired girl added, "just like I miss her."

"I miss Kiana, too," I mumbled to the girl as I stood up, not even realizing that I had let those words leave my mouth until the Branded girl looked up at me with her big, blue eyes.

"That's what Mommy says," she commented. "I tell her that I miss Kiana, and she says that you and Lucia miss her more. I just wish we could play together with Iya again."

"I'll tell you what," I said, kneeling on the ground in front of the bed so that I was eye-level with the child. "Why don't you keep Iya?"

Carlie's eyes lit up as a smile spread across her face. "Really? Oh, thank you, Uncle Soren!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around my neck. I picked her up off the bed and held her as I would have held my own daughter a year ago. "Mommy says that I'll see Kiana again someday...when I do, I'll give her Iya back." I smiled genuinely as I carried the princess of Daein back to her bedchambers, much to the surprise of her guard, who hadn't even realized that she had left. I quietly tiptoed past her twin brother and tucked Carlie into bed with her new doll, nearly forgetting that she was not Kiana.

--

_**A/N:**__ Ah, sorry for the wait on this one... You see, I had my notes written in this notebook, and, well, I lost the notebook... I also had half of the very last chapter written in the notebook, so I really need to find it (this is why I absolutely _never_ write anything in a notebook...I always lose it - this is also the reason why _Talent-less Tellius _and_ World Class Sage_ are on hold)._Heu! Sum iratam. _Okay, that was probably __**really**__ bad Latin, so I'll stop ranting now._

_Anyway, a huge _gratias_ (I think that's the Latin word for _thank you_...I haven't had a proper Latin class in ages) to the reviewers from the last chapter - __**NewPaladin**_**, **_**Eienias20**_, _and_ _**TheFreelancerSeal.**_


	21. Chapter Twenty: Geoffrey, Part VI

**Never Let You Down**

**Chapter Twenty: Geoffrey, Part VI**

**--**

_I watched helplessly as the beautiful baby boy was to be executed. My son, the heir to the Crimean royal throne, was in the arms of Julianne, about to be killed as reparation for the murder of my three-year-old niece. By my side, my wife fought back the tears that were welling up in her eyes. She was the ruler of Crimea, a survivor of two wars and a rebellion meant to usurp her throne; she had watched as her best friend - my own sister - had nearly been hung by Ludveck's men. Surely, her people thought her to be too strong to cry. I put my arm around her shoulders, knowing that my efforts would do little to comfort her._

_"Geoffrey," she muttered, her voice barely audible to me, "why are they doing this? He isn't the one to punish."_

_I ran my fingers through her hair, knowing that I was the one to blame for this. My wife had done nothing wrong; my son was completely innocent in my crimes - he hadn't even been born at the time when Kiana was murdered. This was all solely my fault. I had pushed my sister away; I hadn't helped her when she pleaded for me to save her husband's life. She had been captured, and her little girl had been killed due to my ignorance. Had I just accepted her husband in the first place, this would not be happening. "Elincia," I whispered in reply as her golden brown eyes stared up at me expectantly, "I'm so sorry. That should be me up there, not our son. Soren knows that I would gladly give my life for our baby, but that is not what he wants. He wants me - us - to suffer as he and Lucia have these past two years."_

_"You should have helped her," my wife said softly, moving out of my grip. She then leaned on the shoulder of her uncle as our son was handed to my brother-in-law. Soren cradled the baby in his arms, kissing his forehead before placing him in my sister's waiting arms. She held her nephew close to her chest as her husband opened his _Tornado_ tome. His lips moved slowly as he chanted the incantation. Wind swirled around the three figures until it enveloped my screaming son._

_--_

I shot up from my bed, cold sweat dripping down my face. _It was a dream._ I glanced around the lightly furnished cabin on the ship to Begnion. "Just a dream," I muttered to myself, swinging my legs over one side of the bed, "...a nightmare." I thrust my feet into my boots before using the moonlight from the two windows in my cabin to lead myself to the door. I emerged on the deck of the ship, using the faint light that the moon emitted to guide myself to a figure in the distance.

I arrived to find Julianne leaning over the railing of the vessel, staring out at the vast sea surrounding us. The waves of the pacific Semper Sea crashed against the rocks that protruded in the water. Soft moonlight reflected itself off the waters. I sighed, relieved that our journey was nearly complete and that we would soon land north of Salmo. With any luck, we would find Shawn in Begnion quickly and begin the hunt for Mark soon after.

The blonde woman in front of me stared into the distance, a wave of calamity sweeping over her features. It was evident that she was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she hadn't even noticed me walk up beside her. "Julianne," I mumbled to her surprise, causing her head to suddenly snap up from the sea waters.

"Your Highness," she replied, her attention shifting back to the Semper, "I did not expect you to still be awake. Is something troubling you?"

"Not at all," I lied, taking comfort in the fact that she could not see my face in the darkness that surrounded us, lest I be betrayed by the worry I knew my eyes possessed. "It is obviously a different case with you, however," I commented, glancing toward the woman. "What's on your mind?"

My answer was greeted by silence from the woman as she simply stared straight in front of her. I was unaware of whether she had not heard the question or had chosen to simply ignore it. Minutes passed before she replied with a sigh. "Have you ever loved someone so much that you were willing to let them do whatever they wished - even if it meant causing harm to others?" she queried in reply to my own inquiry.

"Well, I suppose you could say that," I admitted, thinking of my wife and our unborn child. Elincia was my childhood friend - she was the queen of Crimea, I could not very easily stop her from anything she wanted to do, though I don't think I would have stood in her way unless it was meant to prevent great harm to her or others. I also thought of my sister, who I had let down so many times before. I couldn't imagine denying her any happiness she wished after everything she had been through.

"I figured as much," the blonde replied, her eyes never straying from the distance. "You know, I always thought my brother could do no wrong. He was always so perfect, so harmless...I never would have imagined that something like this could have happened. I was mortified when they wanted to kill that little girl, but I did nothing to stop them. My brother and Mark were so convincing that I couldn't see past that moment. I never thought about how it would affect everyone."

"Kiana's death was very difficult for my sister and Soren," I informed her. "She was their little girl - their pride and joy. More importantly, she was all they had left after the death of their other baby."

She turned to face me, a look of worry mixed with confusion spread across her face. "Other child?" she asked. "I hadn't heard anything of them having a child other than Kiana."

I nodded. "I hadn't known of it either," I admitted, "but Queen Micaiah told me that shortly before the invasion of the Grann happened, they had a boy that was stillborn. Lucia had never told me - in fact, I knew nothing of Kiana until the massacre began."

"I'm...so sorry," she muttered, no longer facing me. "I hadn't known that anything so awful had happened. Is your sister doing well now?"

"She appears to be," I stated, remembering the night that Elincia and I had met with my sister and Soren for dinner, "but I believe that she's just masking the pain. I don't think she is handling any of her emotions well, and with Soren in Daein now, I'm afraid that her condition will probably deteriorate. If she hadn't been forced to keep all of this a secret, I think she would have been able to handle the pain better. With only those on the rescue team knowing of Kiana - and a very select few knowing of their other child, I'm afraid that she doesn't have anyone to confide in."

"That's...awful," Julianne commented. "Why did you decide to keep from going public about the Branded Massacre? I figured that either you or Empress Sanaki would be more than eager to inform the world of what we had done."

"We called a conference with representatives from Daein, Serenes, Gallia, Goldoa, Hatari, and the Branded colony," I informed her solemnly. "Ultimately, it was decided to keep the general populace from knowing what had happened. We made the attack on the royal family of Daein public, as most had already known about it. We also stated that there had been a fatal attack on the Branded colony, but we blamed bandits, denying all reports that the attack was based on race. Stefan was outraged by this verdict, but Lucia and Soren were probably its strongest supporters. King Kurthnaga proposed that you and your companions should have been hunted down and tried for the murder of Kiana, but her parents declined."

"If they declined, then why are you looking for all of us? Clearly they do not wish for what happened to be brought back into their lives, so what is your point in all of this?" the young woman asked, turning to search my face for any sign of my intentions.

"I cannot just allow your deeds to go unpunished," I responded, averting her gaze. "I owe that to Lucia...and to Soren." I leaned on the railing next to her, gazing out as our ship was carried over the waters as swiftly as the crew could manage. Land could not been seen for miles around, and I couldn't help but feel placid as the night blew cool breezes around us. "It probably seems silly to you, but I want to prove to Lucia that I do love her and her daughter. I've never treated her as much of a sister or spent very much time with her...we were apart most of our lives, and the childhoods were spent caring for and protecting Elincia. Lucia's safety was always important to me, but I fear that her feelings were not."

"Just as her safety is your priority now?" she mused, shaking her head. "You want to capture us to keep your sister _safe_, not to make her happy. She doesn't want this, you know that. You only wish for assurance that we will not be able to return to harm her again, correct?"

I nodded slowly, amazed at how well this complete stranger could read me. Though I hadn't realized it when I embarked on this quest, my true motive was to once again keep my sister safe, not to relieve her stress or make her pain disappear. I didn't want to lose her - was there something so wrong with that?

--

I returned to my cabin the in the early morning hours of the next day, carefully considering all that Julianne had told me. I didn't want my sister to suffer, but I could not allow any of Chuck's minions to harm her. Still, what to do with them was her and Soren's decision, and if they did not want them to be brought to justice, then I should respect that wish. However, I did not see how I could sit around and allow their deeds to go unpunished.

As I laid my troubled head down to rest that night, one more dream flooded my mind. This new image was one of something that could never happen - of something that merely could have been.

--

_I sat at the large desk in my royal office. Papers were scattered all about, waiting to be looked over and approved. Yesterday's day off had earned me an enormous stack of documents to read, but it was well worth it to help care for my sister's little boy. I dipped my quill in the inkwell to my right and effortlessly glided the utensil over the paper in front of me when I noticed that the door had been pushed open._

_Looking up, I saw the curly, jet-black hair of my niece. She ran over to me, climbing into my lap and staring at me with those clear, blue orbs. "Uncle Geoffrey," she whined, "you promised to come play with me!"_

_"I know," I replied with a smile. "I was about to come...Kiana."_


End file.
